Cover
by General16
Summary: Suffering heartbreak, longing after the Hokage seat and joining ANBU while trying to come to terms with what it all entails, really, Naruto doesn't need any more complications in his life. But then Kakashi makes his interest apparent and Naruto doesn't know if he have the courage to actually take the leap and trust his heart again.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Cover makes a return! It will take some time to upload all of the chapters already written, including the newly written one ^^

**Warnings: **Unbetaed, though I believe I've caught most errors. This is a **SLASH** story, if it ain't your cup of tea, just go the hell back to where you came from, without giving me any grief. I write slash, period. Other than that? No warnings whatsoever needed for now.**  
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**Disclaimer: **All rights and characters © Masashi Kishimoto

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

_Mask- a covering for all or part of the face, worn to conceal one's identity._

Not for the first time in his life Naruto wondered what kind of gods resided up in the infinite universe. Thoughts swirled around in his mind, a mix so confusing and filled with so many emotions it was impossible to get a clear answer.

He kinda hoped that someone else maybe had found it, but as no one had written it down or shouted it from any rooftops, he was fairly certain that he would have to keep looking for himself. It happened quite often that Naruto asked himself what deity, with even a sliver of goodness in them, would allow his life to turn out as shitty as it had. Maybe he'd been born under a really unlucky star, what with his mother dying giving birth to him and his father sealing an ancient demon, hell-bent on world destruction, inside of him.

Besides, it wasn't like he could begrudge the Fourth for doing it, not when it had stood between letting the Kyuubi level Konoha with the ground or sacrifice himself and his newborn son for the sake of the village's survival. It still didn't help Naruto feel better, however, when he'd been forced to withstand mental abuse, shunning, refusal of the most basic necessities and so on for the larger part of his life.

He'd been depressed, tipping on the edge of ending his misery for good, not really seeing the point in going on living when suddenly his whole existence had been turned topsy-turvy. Iruka had finally understood what it was like being Naruto, and like a shining beacon sent to guide his drifting soul back to safe harbor he took place in his life, determined to make Naruto see that he was not alone anymore.

He was the first person besides the Third to acknowledge him as a person; not as a demon like the rest of Konoha was so determined to believe. Iruka saved his life; both literally and figuratively speaking, having earned Naruto's eternal trust and love. After Iruka, his life had taken a turn for the better. More lights appeared, like an avalanche of people crashing over him. His team - however reluctantly Sasuke was - the rest of the rookie nine, Gaara and others.

They made his life worth living again. Around them he could relax a little, but not enough to drop the mask of the happy go-luck dobe he had cultivated over the years. The thing about masks is that they tend to crack eventually and reveal the real person beneath them, though it had yet to happen to him.

He had perfected the cover as a clumsy idiot from the tender age of five, to hide his real feelings and to protect himself. Hidden behind a wall consisting of stupidity and clumsiness the villagers had tended to be a little more lenient towards him. Naruto felt sad when he knew that not anyone, save Sasuke and Iruka, had been able to see behind the mask.

Many nights he congratulated himself of his success as an actor but at the same time, before Sasuke came back, it had saddened him. Was there no one out there who he could be himself with? He had assumed that it wasn't… until Sasuke came back. The raven was first a rival, a friend and almost as close to him as a brother. The feelings changed without Naruto noticing, as Sasuke was brought home when they were sixteen.

Naruto's heart had slowly opened up to the raven under said boy's attentions towards the blond to the point where it had bloomed into love. Now, Sasuke had thrown that love in his face with his actions. Staring at the scene before him, Naruto couldn't do more than to remained silent. Where was the loud, obnoxious knuckle-head now, the one who would shout in rage and charge into everything headfirst,without any regard for the consequences?

That Naruto wasn't real, not entirely so. He was just a mirage Naruto projected towards the world, a shield that hid his inner self. Sure, he existed somewhat, everybody knew him. He was blond, had piercing blue eyes, loved ramen, wore orange and was an idiot; it was a common fact in the hidden village of Leaf. His name was Uzumaki Naruto.

The whole blond and blue eyes yes, but the loudness, love for ramen - well that was partly true- the stupidity and orange? Come on, what kind of shinobi with only a hint of self-respect wore orange? No, that was not him, quite the opposite actually. And he wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do in that moment.

Naruto was standing in the doorway to his bedroom. The bedroom he usually shared with his lover. At least, he used to be the only one sharing it with Sasuke, though it looked like that wasn't the case anymore. Why? Well it could be the fact that his lover was on the bed, but certainly not alone and certainly not dressed either. Naruto was frozen, his heart still and blood had stopped flowing in his veins, and his brain had a hard time taking in the scene presented to him.

Two years. Two fucking years and this... this is what he got from those years of giving his love, his trust, his everything to Uchiha Sasuke? Betrayal and unfaithfulness... Well wasn't that just great. He was back from a two week long mission from the Grass country and came home to what?

His lover and best friend… in bed… with a woman. What a fucking cliché.

_I didn't even know he was interested in women at all._

Naruto's stunned mind whispered, when he continued to look at the two on the bed, as they had yet to discover his presence. Naruto felt a sharp stab of fury, and decided that he didn't want to stick around long enough for it to erupt. Silently, like the shinobi he was, the blond turned on his heel and slipped out from the apartment, leaving his broken heart on the floor just outside the bedroom.

Two years wasted, he thought as he wandered the streets of Konoha, tuning out the glares and hate filled words directed towards him. He was so used to them, he hardly took notice at all.

_What the hell am I going to do now?_

Naruto continued to muse, feeling unnervingly calm. He thought it could be shock, as the betrayal weighed heavy on his heart. The rest of his feeling besides the simmering anger seemed to have disappeared for the moment.

He'd been under the impression that he and Sasuke loved each other, where the hell had he wrongly assumed that? Naruto loved Sasuke, but the feeling had apparently not been mutual. Even if the last Uchiha had never said that he loved him outright it had never bothered Naruto until now.

_Why did he choose to be with me in the first place then? Why move in, live, sleep and make love to someone you didn't have any deeper feelings for? _

And while it felt like he'd just had his heart ripped out, he knew he couldn't go back. While he loved the raven with his whole, aching heart, Naruto was no push-over. He would never accept infidelity.

The afternoon turned into early night and Naruto continued walking. In the end he'd found his way up to the Hokage mountain, and took a seat on top of the Fourth's head. It was his favorite spot, a place where he wasn't subjected to the glares and hurting words, a place where he could just sit in peace and survey the village he loved so much.

Despite that they could straighten up and start to treat him better, it was still a village with people who loved, hated, cried and laughed; a city filled with life. The thing about Konoha was that they were far too narrow-minded. They couldn't widen their horizons and look at the future without dragging the past along with them, like a snuggle-blanket to hold on to even in good times. The past would always be there, but wasn't it better to let by goners be by goners and open up for some changes?

The sun was setting and left him in the dark with only the full moon and twinkling stars as company, but Naruto wasn't about to complain. They had kept him company on more than one occasion when he didn't have anyone; they weren't so bad. They always kept their silent watch over the world, witnessing time turning and the ever changing nature; unruffled of foolish humans and their petty problems.

Spurred on by Sasuke's actions and his own, pensive mood, Naruto's mind turned to his own past, mulling it over with a feeling of accomplishment despite his many failures on the way.

He'd graduated from the Academy – after two failures, but who's counting? - got a dysfunctional team that developed strong bonds despite that. They'd been shattered and, after much grief and anxiety, reunited three years later. He'd reached chunin at the age of fifteen and had acquired his jounin rank a year ago, just after turning seventeen.

Naruto was one step closer to his ultimate goal: The Hokage seat. However much this village hated him he still loved it and would protect it with all his might, just like the Hokages before him had. Until people understood that, he would work hard for them to open their eyes and see that he was only a man, just like them and he loved his birth village as much as they did.

The biggest roadblock, as it happened, was the council. They kept him from proving himself, from showing that he was capable to protect them all. It annoyed him, yes, but only because he knew that they didn't hate him; they were just scared of the entity prisoned inside of him, and what it could do.

_So what then? How can I ever make them see? How can I…?_

A forgotten conversation with Tsunade suddenly elbowed its way to the forefront of his mind, words echoing as he stared wide eyed out into the empty air.

"_Only the Second Hokage refused to enter ANBU, the rest of them joined. It's not the only way, but it certainly paved the road for them."_

A small smile curved his lips, and he rose with a renewed sense of determination. Other methods may have been out there, it would most likely change him and his view on the world, but it just seemed right. He'd never thought he would take a path like that, had avoided it because while he admired them and what they did, it had seemed so… wrong.

Naruto didn't think badly of them, on the contrary. What they did was something astounding and admirable, he couldn't even begin to try and understand their world. But if the way to the seat of power was faster through them, so be it. His smile grew wider as he started to walk down the mountain, he needed to see Tsunade and talk to her about this.

_What about Sasuke?_

Naruto stopped, his smile fading and fists clenched at his sides as his broken heart throbbed painfully in his chest. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't be with Sasuke anymore. He couldn't be with someone who never said he loved him, someone who was unfaithful and refused to share his thoughts.

Naruto's trust was broken, his perceives of Sasuke shattered and the blond's eyes were finally open. He had to do this without Sasuke, for his own sake. If things had been different… Naruto shook his head, firming his resolve.

_No… we're over. _

Not giving himself more time to think it over, Naruto resumed his walk down the mountainside. He would talk to Sasuke later, to let him know, but right in that moment he had to speak with Tsunade first. After all, he was about to recruit himself into the toughest group in the whole village; the silent protectors of Konoha, the ones lurking in the shadows, never seen, heard or noticed.

ANBU.

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN: **Please leave me a comment on your thoughts before you go! ^^


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **All right, depending on how much I've to do during the coming week, I should at least be able to get one, maybe two chapters out per day. I will also take the time to point out that this story is completely AU. It's canon up until Pain arrives in Konoha, from there on it's all mine. And in answer to a question asked: Yes, this story will have lemons in it, in future chapters. Also, a great thank you and many hugs to you who've already left a comment, it's greatly appreciated ^^ (and if anyone wants to flame me, go ahead, but please make it a good one)

**Warnings: **Unbetaed. Other than that? No warnings needed.**  
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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

_Heartbreak - intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)_

"And you're sure about this?"

Naruto nodded from where he sat across Tsunade's wide desk in her office. The hour was late but neither of them was tired. The Fifth Hokage of Konoha gave him a grim look before she leaned back into her chair with a sigh.

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into? ANBU is no walk in the park. You will face death on almost every mission outside the village, have to deal with heavy psychological trauma, watch your comrades die... the list is long", she warned and crossed her arms over her impressive chest.

"I know that, Tsunade-sama. It doesn't matter anyway, I've made up my mind", Naruto answered, his blue eyes bright with determination and a seriousness he rarely displayed. It was all intentional. Naruto had realized during the walk down to the village that he had been a coward.

He'd let the fear of being rejected and hurt if he showed his real self to those close to him dictate his life for far too long. He'd decided that it was time to let up on the mask a little, show more of the one he was on the inside. The only persons who'd seen it before was Iruka and Sasuke. Naruto shied away from that train of thought. It was too raw; it hurt too much to even think about the Uchiha right now.

"Since when did you start calling me that?" Tsunade asked, surprise written all over her face. Her expression made Naruto chuckle. Despite whatever else he'd fabricated during the years the mile wide streak of mischief was all him.

"Even I have to grow up sometime in case you hadn't noticed baa-chan", he said with a smile.

"Of... of course you do, sorry about that", she smiled back, her face turning serious once again as she reached down and opened a drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper. She placed it on her - surprisingly - clean desk, save from the bottle of sake poorly disguised as a jug of water on the right end of the table.

"You are aware that joining ANBU won't change the way the villagers looks at you? The whole purpose with ANBU is that no one knows who they are except me and the council; they are our silent and invisible protectors", the Fifth then said, giving the blond a serious look.

"I am. But it's not them I'm trying to sway. The council is the biggest roadblock and the first step to get the villagers to think differently about me is to get them to see me in another light first", Naruto explained, face and voice solemn. Tsunade sat quiet for a moment, contemplating his words and saw the truth in them. Nodding absently she slowly spoke again,

"All right then. Seeing that you are so serious about wanting to join the ranks of ANBU I'll give you a chance. We hold trials for new recruits every six months. The next test is only one month away, it should give you ample amount of time to fine-tune your skills. You will be informed of time and place on the day it occurs."

"Thank you, baa-chan. You've really helped me a lot." Naruto grinned in that way that always had a smile of her own tugging at the corners of her mouth.

As Naruto got up on his feet she couldn't help contemplatively looking over him, taking in his general appearance. Apparently he'd grown again without her noticing, standing much taller than her own 5.3 by now. His hair was also longer. The bangs fell into his eyes and the longest tips brushed the collar of his flak jacket and it had lost that crazy, spiky quality with the added length.

The face had lost most of the baby-fat by now, highlighting his angular jaw, high cheekbones and that stubborn chin. It was a striking face, especially with the whisker-like scars adorning his cheeks and the sharp, cerulean eyes so much wiser than for someone his age thanks to his rough upbringing. Naruto was the best blend of his parents; Minato's twin in appearance while his personality was uncannily similar to Kushina's.

Tsunade sighed and suddenly all of her years weighed down on her, more so than usual when she saw that the next generations were almost grownups. They already faced the world without a child's insecurity, making her feel ready to retire and leave the village for them to run, Naruto in particular.

"Do you want me to find you someone to help you train, Naruto?" she asked before he could disappear out from her office. Naruto stopped by the window, glancing back over his shoulder.

"Do you have anyone free? It's a month's time of training we are talking about here."

Tsunade held back on a grin, and reached for a folder in the smallest pile on her desk.

"As a matter of fact I have someone… he's been on too many missions lately, he could need some time off. As soon as he's back from the current one, that is ", she smirked and a spike of dread shot down Naruto's spine. The Fifth's smirk was anything but reassuring.

"Do I even dare to ask who?" he wondered and turned to her fully, his tensed frame broadcasting the uneasiness he felt.

"It's Kakashi, of course." The Hokage snickered when she saw the jinchüriki's face pale.

"No! Please baa-chan, anyone but him!" Naruto almost screamed as he scrambled to her desk again; eyes big and pleading. She didn't even bat an eyelash at the begging look on his face. Tsunade's smirk grew wider instead and she leaned back into the chair again with pure, sadistic glee glowing in her amber eyes.

"What the matter, Naruto? Something wrong with having Kakashi training you for a month?" she asked innocently, not fooling Naruto for a second.

"You know he's a lazy, porn-addicted pervert! If he's going to train me I'll never be done in time", Naruto whined.

"Oh shut up", she sneered with amusement. "He's a great teacher – when he wants to. Besides, I really don't have anyone else to help you. And… I think that you'll need every help you can get on this. It's not an easy test we're giving to ANBU recruits Naruto." She held up a hand, stopping Naruto's objections before he could even make them.

"Even if_ I_ don't doubt your abilities you always have something you need to improve. Let Kakashi help you and then we'll see each other at the trial."

Seeing that she was serious, Naruto pouted and straightened, giving her his best glare to be on the safe side lest she didn't get the message of how unhappy he was with her.

"Fine, but I don't like it", he muttered and made his way to the window again.

"It'll be good for you", Tsunade chirped in turn, almost laughing out loud at the sour face he made. "You are both on mission leave for a month, by the way, and I'll send a message to him to meet you at training ground six, tomorrow at seven." Tsunade poured a little "water" from the bottle next to her. Naruto snorted and muttered something under his breath that sounded like: "Damned old, alcoholic hags and lazy Cyclops perverts."

"What was that?" she barked and he stiffened.

"Nothing! Seeyoubaa-chanbye!" he called out and disappeared out through the window.

"Doesn't anyone above chunin know how to use a door?" the Fifth roared after him but shook her head as she drank the sake, knitting her brows in a thoughtful frown. She had figured that something had happened with Sasuke for Naruto to come to her with his request, though she wasn't the one to ask him about it. The whole village, except Naruto, had been aware of the Uchiha's fickle nature, yet no one wanted to say anything, not wanting to be the one playing the messenger.

It may have been wrong of her and his friends, but Naruto was an adult now and deserved to deal with his private-life on his own. It was all a part of growing up anyway. However, Tsunade really hoped that whatever caused Naruto's change of heart wouldn't turn out to crush him. She knew what it felt like to have your heart broken, and also knew how hard it was to mend it and move on with your life again.

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><p>Naruto stood outside the apartment he shared with Sasuke, apprehension filling him as he looked at the door, unable to coax his hand to reach up and grab the knob. Their home held so many memories, mostly happy ones of their time together. At least they were happy to him; what Sasuke thought he didn't know. His heartbreak was still fresh, bleeding and aching on the inside even if he looked fine outwards.<p>

It hurt that Sasuke apparently didn't love him, but the thing that smarted the most was that Sasuke hadn't even said anything about it. If he had at least mentioned that he didn't want to be with Naruto, he could have handled it. Naruto could be stubborn, but he was never going to hang on to someone who didn't return his feelings.

Yeah, Naruto knew he was being more than a little hypocritical at the moment. He'd chased Sasuke for several years after he left to go to Orochimaru, but that was hardly the point. It wasn't about friendship anymore, because while friends could wound each other fairly enough, it didn't really measure up to the amount of pain you could cause someone you were involved with. Naruto was as rooted to the ground, staring at the door with unblinking eyes, dreading to go inside. Mostly because he couldn't decide whether he wanted to punch Sasuke in the face, cry - he never seriously considered that option - or ask him why. Knowing the bastard as well as he did, Naruto knew Sasuke wouldn't care to answer in a whole sentence.

Naruto could have sworn that the sound - easiest translated with the letters 'Hn' - was something embedded in the Uchiha DNA, a trait passed on to every new generation. Sasuke could drive him to the brink of insanity with that annoying habit of his.

_Well, I can't stand around here all night; better go in and get this over with._

You never knew with Sasuke, but Naruto was convinced that they wouldn't part on friendly terms, not with their history. Snapping out his stupor, Naruto took a fortifying breath, opened the door and stepped in. The apartment was dark, only a slight light spilled from the partly open bedroom door.

Sasuke must still be up and waiting then.

Naruto took off his sandals and silently walked towards the room he had left almost twelve hours ago in shock. And why wouldn't Sasuke wait for him? Naruto had told him that he'd be back around three that afternoon. It was almost two at night by that point, Naruto discovered when he glanced at the clock above the bookcase in the lounge.

The apartment was a charming place with a smart design that made the rooms flow together. The living room was separated from the kitchen with a counter, large windows letting light spill in during the day. To the left was the bedroom; also with a large window and next to the bedroom was the bathroom. Naruto yanked his mind from the layout of his home, and took a deep breath to brace him before he entered the "scene of crime", as he had silently named it.

The source of light came from a single lamp on Sasuke's nightstand; the raven himself sitting on the bed with his back against the headboard, reading a scroll and looking like he didn't have a single care in the world. He looked up when Naruto came in and their eyes met. Naruto felt his heart throb painfully at the mere sight, eyes starting to mist despite his resolve not to cry.

The look in those black depths managed to throw him off guard, as they almost always did, and he hated the realization that he never had been able to read Sasuke's eyes as good as he once thought he could. Sasuke stared as he always did, blank, uncaring even and that made Naruto's heart ache more than ever.

"Hn... you're late", Sasuke said and put the scroll down, stretching a little as he got up from the bed.

"I know... sorry about that", Naruto mumbled and gave Sasuke a weak smile, silently cursing himself. Why did he apologize? Wasn't it the Uchiha that should say he was sorry? Oh yeah... he hadn't told him yet that he knew about his two-timing.

"Something wrong?" Sasuke asked when Naruto didn't do his usual routine, which was jumping him while showering his face and lips with kisses.

"Yeah... yeah you could say that", Naruto answered after a few minutes and the tension in the room grew heavier.

"Care to explain?" Sasuke frowned when Naruto's eyes grew cold, his face stoic. It wasn't a face made for such expressions and Sasuke didn't like it.

"It seems... that I should be the one asking you that, Uchiha", Naruto half-sneered and lowered his gaze, unable to meet Sasuke's eyes anymore. Naruto's heart clenched with the knowledge that this... this was it. No more Naruto and Sasuke. After this he would be alone again...

It didn't matter how much it hurt; Naruto couldn't go back into a relationship where he wasn't loved. He didn't like being alone, but that didn't mean he was going to close his eyes and pretend like nothing had happened. Naruto's eyes were seeing, perhaps for the first time, and he wouldn't stay where he wasn't wanted. Anger slowly filled him, boiled under his calm exterior and he clenched his fists so that he wouldn't beat the crap out of the man before him.

"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke inquired, not even a hint of uncertainty showing on his passive features.

"Don't give me that bullshit", Naruto hissed and narrowed his eyes. "You know damned well what I mean."

"Hn... I see. You found out then", Sasuke just stated, not surprised the least. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, and Naruto's hold on his carefully caged rage slipped.

"You god damned asshole! What's with the attitude? Can't you at least show some sort of emotion?" Naruto roared, turned around and punched his fist straight through the thin wall, leaving a hole in the plaster.

"You actually seem to do that better than I ever could, I think I'll just leave you to it", was the Sharingan wielder's response, adding fuel to the fire burning in the jinchüriki's eyes.

"I don't fucking believe you! How can you be so cold? Did I ever mean anything to you?"

Sasuke looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"Answer me god damn it!" Naruto screamed, getting more agitated by Sasuke's unresponsive nature.

"That was the dumbest thing I ever heard from you, dobe. Of course you mean something to me", Sasuke answered as if it was obvious; his cold voice contradicting his words.

"Then why?" Naruto felt his eyes tear up again. Even if he was another person underneath his usual mask, it didn't mean that all the emotions portrayed was a cover. He had feelings - more than he would've liked sometimes – and now they were hurt enough to be bleeding.

"Because there's one thing I can't get from you, Naruto", Sasuke said and crossed his arms, not the least ashamed of what he had been doing for only god knows how long.

"And?" Naruto urged when Sasuke didn't elaborate. "What is it that you can only gain from a woman?"

"Children."

Silence fell. A heavy, thick silence filled with anger, sorrow, hurt and betrayal.

"Children... you sleep around with women to have kids?" Naruto whispered, not able to comprehend how his former lover was thinking.

"You knew what my goal after killing Itachi was. He and Madara are dead, the remains of Akatsuki aren't a threat anymore, it's the perfect time to revive my clan", Sasuke explained as if Naruto was retarded in some way. It pissed Naruto off beyond all limits.

"So that's it? You were just playing with me, toying with my feeling for you?" Naruto snarled and it seemed that Sasuke finally took notice of how angry he really was.

"I wasn't playing. I do care about you but I also care about the future of the Uchiha clan. I'm the last one and..."

"And what? Just because you want to revive your clan it gives you the right to seduce me, have a relationship with me, just so you can dump me at any convenient moment?"

Naruto was breathing heavily through his nose, his face red from anger, and his whole body trembled with the tightly restrained urge to kill Sasuke.

"Who said I was going to dump you?" Sasuke asked miffed, a glint of surprise in his eyes. "I never said I was going to break up with you just because I need children."

There was that silence again. Naruto began to question whether Uchiha Sasuke was sane or no not - he guessed on the later - and just stared at him. Sasuke stared back with no shame or regret evident anywhere in his eyes or features. Actually he looked just as arrogant as his words had come out. He was serious about this. He really believed that Naruto would stay with him... and Naruto couldn't help it. He burst out in a roaring laughter, which made Sasuke scowl.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because of you, you fucking moron, you god damned, heartless bastard!" Naruto got out, wrapping his arms around his middle when his stomach started to ache.

"You actually believe that I would stay with you... are you fucking insane?" Naruto then asked as he wiped his eyes. Tears had been streaming down his face, more from hysterical laughter than anything.

"No I'm perfectly sane", Sasuke growled, beginning to feel a little irritated. "You love me, I care for you and it's only semen we're talking about here, what's the big deal?"

"The big deal? You really are stupid. Those bitches you've been screwing maybe doesn't care but I sure as hell do! Well, fuck me if I'm going to share you with half of the freaking village!" Naruto yelled and waved with his arm towards the window as to elucidate his words.

"So you're breaking up with me then, is that it?" Sasuke snarled back, his patience wearing thin.

"You can fucking bet I'm breaking up with you, you two-timing fucker!" Naruto roared back; his language getting cruder with each shouted sentence. He didn't know how to vent his frustration otherwise.

"Did you really think I would stay with you after this? You just broke my heart, a heart I've been protecting all my life. I have only allowed two persons inside, I hid nothing about myself and one of those people – you - just threw my trust back in my face." Naruto's anger was gone as quickly as it had come, leaving him weary and drained.

Sasuke was startled for the first time when Naruto's deep, blue eyes clouded over with sadness. Hesitantly he took a step closer but stopped when Naruto let out a low, feral growl. Getting the feeling that it wouldn't be good for his health to step any closer, Sasuke snorted and crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"I may be a bastard, Naruto but I thought that you would understand. The Uchiha clan is my prime goal now that Itachi is gone; it's up to me to see to the bloodline's survival", he tried to clarify; refusing to acknowledge the painful throb his heart gave at his own words.

"I understand, Sasuke, I really do but... if you only hadn't made me fall in love with you first." Naruto almost broke down; it was only his stubbornness that saved him from that embarrassment. With silence filling their ears Sasuke didn't say anything else, because what else was there to say? He watched Naruto pack a small travel bag; he didn't even move when he saw that the jinchüriki was about to leave. The blond stopped in the doorway, glancing at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll stop by later to get my stuff... and..." He couldn't almost continue; the pain filling his entire being rendered him his ability to talk. "I-I just hope that... y-you get the family you want", Naruto whispered as a final goodbye, voice choked and shaky. Sasuke didn't even get a word out in return, Naruto made seals and was gone in a small, puff of smoke before he could.

Sasuke was left feeling numb, it felt like he'd just come out alive from a hurricane. Sasuke did care for Naruto, but however much he wanted to be with the blond, his first priority was to see to the Uchiha clan's survival. Considering what Itachi had died for and left him to carry on with it, it was the least he could do. Sasuke still couldn't help it when he felt like someone had punched a hole in his heart, like a big piece was missing. Turning back to the bed, Sasuke ignored the feeling and tried to ignore the fact that Naruto most likely had taken the bit with him.

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><p>Naruto's fist pounded on the door repeatedly. A muffled yell was heard and he stepped back as the door cracked open; revealing a barely awake, pink-haired kunoichi who rubbed her bleary eyes with one hand.<p>

"Hey, Sakura", Naruto tried to smile, failing miserably. Sakura blinked a couple of times to clear her sight and peered at him, her eyes narrowed towards the light coming from the streetlights behind him.

"What the hell? Naruto, what are you doing here? It's three o'clock in the morning", she growled and frowned when she was met with another, bleak smile.

"Yeah I know and I'm sorry but... do you think I could crash here tonight?"

The desperate tone in his voice didn't escape her, nor did his haunted eyes. With dread pooling in her stomach she stepped aside and let him in. She closed the door behind them, and followed when he walked into her small living room. Naruto slumped down on the couch with a weary sigh and closed his eyes; slouching against the cushions as all strength abandoned him.

"Naruto... what happened? Why aren't you at home?" Sakura asked with apprehension. She had never seen her team-mate like this; drained and tired, almost like an empty shell.

Naruto cracked one eye open. He knew he wasn't keeping up his normal appearance, but couldn't frankly care less about masks. Feeling so emotionally drained and rather exposed, Naruto only wanted to be with someone he could trust. Sakura was one of the few he felt like that around, she was a pillar of strength when his own failed him.

"I... I need a place to stay for a while", he just answered, trusting the kunoichi's intelligence, hoping that she wouldn't demand further explanations. Sakura didn't let Naruto down. Her brows furrowed momentarily, her green eyes brightening after a few seconds with dawning understanding.

Compassion for Naruto filled her, rage coming as a close second at Sasuke, for what he'd done to Naruto. If the blond wanted to stay with her, there could only be one reason for it. Sakura sighed deeply and moved closer. She'd been aware of Sasuke's infidelity, but hadn't had the heart to tell Naruto.

And while she was genuinely sorry that it hadn't worked out between them, she was so relieved she'd gotten over Sasuke a long time ago. Her fan-girl days were long gone; even more so since she started to pay more attention to other boys and finally saw what had been right under her nose all the time. That's how she'd started to date Lee, but right then she was thankful that her boyfriend wasn't there for once; more for Naruto's sake than her own.

The jinchüriki didn't need her, or anyone else for that matter, to pry right now. Trying to give Naruto a moment alone, Sakura got up and went out into the kitchen to make some tea. When she came back, Naruto had removed his sandals, vest and hitai-ate; sitting in his dark blue pants and, long-sleeved shirt. He opened his eyes when she placed the cup on the table in front of him and gave her a thankful nod. She just smiled back and sat down beside him, the silence between them comfortable.

"So... do you want to talk about it?" she asked after they had sipped on the tea for a while. Naruto gave a deep sigh, set the cup on the table and leaned his head against her shoulder. She smiled and removed a few blond strands from tickling her nose, gently caressing his head when she felt tears wet the fabric on her shoulder.

"Not... not now, please Sakura... just... just stay with me", Naruto whispered as the sobs shook his body. He needed this; needed to cry so badly, to cleanse the infested wounds in his heart and let the hurt out. Sakura did as he asked her. She didn't talk; she didn't ask and only held him close to her as he cried.

tbc..

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><p><strong>AN: **A comment on your thoughts please ^^


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Don't forget, the updates depends on how much I've got going on during my days. I will do my best to get the chapters out, but as I'm generally re-writing each one and some of them are over 20 pages long... well I won't make any promises ^^ Thank you for the reviews so far, big hugs to you all XD

**Warning: **I only warn about a small part that contains some mildly disturbing sentences. You have been warned.**  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

_Dread - fearful expectation or anticipation_

_"Sasuke... we shouldn't."_

_"Shut up dobe."_

_"But-mf!"_

_The unexpected pleasure of Sasuke's lips against his caught Naruto off guard. Finding himself pressed up against a wall in the hallway of Sasuke's home, Naruto didn't resist as a tongue caressed his bottom lip, asking for entrance. Naruto parted his lips hesitantly; allowing the warm, slick muscle to slip into his moist mouth. He met it slowly, trying to give as well as he got, but it was quite clear that this wasn't the first time Sasuke kissed someone. The thought made Naruto frown, not liking the knowledge that Sasuke had kissed before, probably several times._

_Was it Orochimaru who had taught him that move; that flick with his tongue against Naruto's that shot sparks of lust down his spine? Naruto was ripped from his musings as a calloused hand gripped his chin, tilted his head back and Sasuke deepened the kiss. Both youths moaned deeply in their throats. Their lips mashed together, tongues battling as the exploration warped into a fight for dominance; one neither of them intended to lose._

_Breaking apart when the need for air grew bigger than their desire for each other, they stared into each other's eyes, black clashing with blue. Their ragged breaths echoed in the silent hallway, and Naruto, who was gripping Sasuke's black shirt, braced against the other's chest and pushed him back; in need of some space._

_"Are you in love with me or something?" Naruto asked, blushing when Sasuke's coal black eyes seemed to bore into his. Naruto felt bare before Sasuke's stare, almost as if the older boy could see his very soul._

_"Hn..."_

_"I mean it, bastard. Are you..."_

_"You talk too much", Sasuke interrupted, and Naruto found himself as the receiver of the Uchiha's lust filled kisses once again. They traveled down on his face, lips, neck... further and further down and suddenly Naruto was more naked than clothed and Sasuke's head just kept going lower and lower..._

A loud bang jerked Naruto out of his dream and his eyes flew open, mind hazy and filled with images of his first time with Sasuke. For a moment he didn't remember where he was, but when his sleep muddled brain cleared the painful reality came back.

He and Sasuke were no longer together, he was lying on Sakura's couch and his hostess... was cursing like a sailor in the kitchen. Trying his best to ignore the dull ache in his chest, Naruto got up from the couch, the blanket Sakura had draped over him pooling on the floor. He yawned as he stretched his stiff limbs, and then walked to the kitchen. He didn't care about his state of undress, it wasn't the first time he was in Sakura's company half-naked.

"What's with the racket, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he entered the kitchen and found Sakura on the floor, utensils scattered around her. He wisely stifled the laughter before it could escape his throat, and tried his best to hold back the smile as well. He couldn't help the smirk that escaped though. The kunoichi looked up, gave him her best glare, which she must've learned from Sasuke, cause damn, it was really borderline Uchiha-worthy. Sakura grumbled under her breath and struggled up on her feet, then bent down and gathered the strewn kitchenware.

"I tried to reach the teapot", she said, her voice sharp with annoyance as she jabbed a finger in the direction of a cabinet over the sink. Naruto followed her pointing, and with one curved eyebrow he stepped up, retrieved the pot and ignored Sakura's pout when he gave it to her.

"Show off", the kunoichi muttered under her breath and turned to fill it with water.

"What was that?" Naruto mocked and leaned against the counter, arms crossed and face set in the most innocent expression he could muster.

"Nothing, nothing. Can't understand why I placed it there in the first place, must have been Lee." Sakura continued to mutter to herself and a soft smile touched Naruto's mouth. He could see what she was doing, trying to make him comfortable and to let him know that she wasn't about to start firing questions at him. Sakura had her back to the blond and was startled when two strong, tanned arms suddenly hugged her against a hard, warm chest.

"Wha- Naruto what are you doing?" she shrieked and tried to break free from his embrace. Naruto ignored her, using his superior strength - as long as she didn't use Tsunade's teachings – to tighten his grip.

"Thank you", he whispered and released her as he took a step back, turned and sat down at the narrow table in the small kitchen. Sakura stared dumbstruck at him over her shoulder until Naruto cocked an eyebrow again in a silent question.

"W-well... It's... it's nothing", she muttered; a little confused at this side of her friend, one she had never seen before. Usually Naruto wasn't that calm and docile, not to mention that he'd never attempted to give her a hug since they were kids. It made her feel a little put out, she didn't know how to behave. Naruto saw her flutter around with flustered movements and couldn't help but chuckle with wry amusement.

"Sakura", he said and she froze in her attempts of composing herself "I know that you want to know about yesterday and that you don't want me to feel pushed to talk about it. It's okay, really… thanks for not forcing the issue."

The pink-haired kunoichi slowly turned around and leveled her blond friend with a serious stare. She looked at him contemplatively, pursing her lips as she tilted her head slightly to the right.

"You don't have to thank me, Naruto, I'm your friend, it's just what good ones do", Sakura eventually said, turning her attention back to boil water and slice fruit. Naruto remained quiet, not up for talking. It was also a good as time as any to start with the whole "dropping-the-mask" thing. Somehow, Naruto didn't think Sakura would mind that much.

As he sat in blissful silence and watched her make breakfast, Naruto's let his mind wander and thoughts about Kakashi turned up. Naruto briefly wondered how the Copy-nin fared nowadays.

_Probably busy reading porn and whatever perverts occupy their time with in between missions._

Naruto's amused snort had Sakura glancing back at him over her shoulder, and he offered her a small smile in return. His curiosity didn't diminish though, not when he knew that he would soon enough meet his elusive former sensei and find out. And Naruto told himself that the jittery feeling in his stomach came from nerves, seeing as he was anxious over what kind of training Kakashi would put him through. Nothing more and nothing less.

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><p>In reality, Naruto couldn't have been more wrong in his assumptions about Hatake Kakashi's activities, both on missions and in the lull between them. In the same moment as Naruto was sitting in Sakura's apartment, the silver-haired man's arm was shoved shoulder deep through another man's chest, right where the heart was located. Well, except for the fact that the heart would now be best described as minced meat or something like that, the Copy-nin noted a little absently.<p>

With a little effort Kakashi pulled his arm out of the man's body, grimacing at the gore covering his pale, armored limb. He shook said appendix a little, trying to get rid of the worst. Sometimes, Kakashi couldn't help but regret creating the Raikiri. It was his best assassination-technique, hands down, but it was unfortunate that it required piercing of some kind, and even if the nauseating feeling had faded somewhat over the years, the disturbing one had not.

Without a single glance at the fallen body, Kakashi gave a silent signal at his teammates. They rounded up behind him, and with Kakashi in the lead they headed up among the trees. He didn't have to look back to know that they had placed themselves in their usual formation; one of each side of him and one just behind. The mission was over, all objectives fulfilled and they were allowed to go home, deliver their oral report to the Hokage and then… Kakashi could finally take a shower.

The Copy-nin almost closed his eyes in bliss at the mere thought of a long, hot bath, a meal that wasn't bar-shaped and his soft, warm bed just waiting for him to collapse upon.

Being away on a mission for three, long weeks, sleeping under the stars in rain or sunshine, with only a tent and a thin blanket as protection against the elements always made him appreciate the simple luxuries in life all the more. Kakashi ached in several different places, he was quite sure there was sand in his underwear, he probably didn't smell so good and felt more drained than he cared to admit. It didn't hinder him from looking as fresh as a daisy - sans the blood and dirt - or move unhindered with the same, fluent grace of a well-rested feline. Kakashi could easily ignore his body's signals of exhaustion; he was a man in his prime, and had done it more times than he could count.

That didn't mean that he wasn't looking forward to get home, the small twinge of pain in the freshly healed wound across his abs a reminder of why he was so eager. Kakashi had been supposed to rest after a nasty cut on his abdominals from his previous mission. But when a missing-nin killed a jounin on his tail, Kakashi's team – 13 - were called in from their weeklong leave and were immediately dispatched to take care of him. Really, sometimes Kakashi didn't understand how the Fifth reasoned at all, Tsunade could be so contradictory.

First she'd told him that he was not to, under any circumstances, tax himself beyond maybe a trip to the bathroom from the bedroom. Tsunade had threatened with degradation and possibly bodily harm, if Kakashi didn't take his time and let the wound heal in peace.

Then, she'd summoned him three days later, barked out her orders, tossed him and the scroll with all the mission details out of her office again and slammed the damned door in his face.

_I will never understand women._

Kakashi sighed deeply, keeping only a fraction of his mind on what he was doing, as he moved nimbly between the trees, running and jumping at breakneck speed.

Unknown to the Wolf-masked ANBU captain, his team studied him with a great deal of envy in their hearts. How the hell the man could move with such grace and speed, after three weeks out in the field with only ration bars and a few small animals to eat, when they were beyond the brink of exhaustion was a mystery. Don't be mistaken, they were grateful for Kakashi's stamina and resilience, but it would've been nice if the Copy-nin could sometimes show that he was human too, like slip on a branch or stumble in his steps once in a while.

Team 13 was the best infiltration and assassination team in ANBU, a four man cell where Kakashi, the assassination and stealth expert, was in charge of Wolverine, their tactician, Dolphin, their trap and infiltration specialist and Raven, their scout and intelligence gatherer.

The team was built on their compatibility with each other; each person was selected from what they could contribute to the group and the four of them made up a solid team with great success. There was some friendly rivalry going on between the different ANBU cells in Konoha, and team 13 were currently in the lead with team 17 and 23 as close and tied seconds.

But all thoughts that may have been going through their minds came to a halt when they had to concentrate on what they were doing. They were trying to get home in one piece, they had to focus when the canopies of branches they were traveling through thickened and grew denser; a telling sign that they had crossed the border to Fire country. Home was just a couple of hours away.

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><p>The Fifth Hokage of Konoha was abruptly awakened from her alcohol induced nap from a loud crash and cursing. A lot of cursing. Blinking bleary eyes, Tsunade tried to focus on the source of the ruckus. Expecting at least a smaller invasion of enemy nins, the Fifth was a little disappointed when she only spotted one of her ANBU captains on the floor beside her desk, shards of glass around him. Tsunade tried to stifle a barking laugh when she heard Wolf's colorful words, as he was helped to his feet by Raven and Wolverine, both of them shaking their heads in exasperation. Dolphin was crouching on the edge of the broken window, shoulders trembling in a telling way.<p>

A kunai missing his head with no more than an inch put a stop to his silent mirth, and he quickly jumped into the office fully, standing rigid and serious. The façade crumbled as soon as Wolf turned around to face Tsunade, and Dolphin's shoulders started to quiver again. Tsunade smirked when she saw how Wolf rolled his eyes behind the mask, clearly aware of his teammate's hilarity.

"Team 13… welcome back. Though I can't say I was exactly prepared for your rather…" Tsunade twirled a finger in the air, as if looking for the right word "unorthodox entrance", she finished with a widening smirk.

"My apologies, Hokage-sama. I was under the impression that the window would be open, it wasn't my intentions to crash through it", Wolf drawled, glaring a little at her for good measure. Tsunade sent a reasonably pointed look back at him.

"That ought to teach you all that the correct way to enter your superior's office is through the door", she told him pleasantly enough, but the steel underneath couldn't be mistaken for something else than the subtle threat it was. The rest of team 13 glanced at each other, Kakashi and lastly Tsunade, before apparently coming to a silent agreement.

"We'll just leave you to report then, captain", Raven droned monotonously, seconded by Dolphin's eager nod and Wolverine's tired sigh. As one, the three men did the necessary seals for a quick teleportation out of there, and were gone in a puff of smoke before Wolf could get a word in otherwise.

"You are the ones writing the report, count on it", he muttered under his breath, stalking up to the desk where he stopped and saluted Tsunade.

"Team 13 reporting back from mission, Hokage-sama."

"At ease, Wolf. Take a seat and mask off", Tsunade ordered, changing the mood to a more serious one. A small tug at the corners of her mouth indicated that she wouldn't forget his blunder anytime soon however, much to Wolf's annoyance. Wolf did as ordered and sank down in the chair on the other side of her desk, pushing his mask up on the right side of his head; automatically closing his left eye once free from the porcelain.

"Status then?" Tsunade asked and folded her hands on the desk. If going by Kakashi's appearance - bloody, muddy and all over dirty – it felt a little silly asking, but procedure was procedure.

"Mission completed, target eliminated, no casualties", Kakashi answered flatly, his voice monotone. It never ceased to amaze Tsunade how this man could transform into a totally different person, as soon as he donned the ANBU uniform.

"Any injuries?"

"No, only shallow cuts and a couple of bruises", he said and leaned back in the chair. It was quite obvious that he was exhausted, but she couldn't let him go home just yet. There was still the whole "training-Naruto" thing she had to inform him about.

"And your other wound? Did you follow my instructions?" Kakashi's look was as flat as his voice had been.

"…I did", Kakashi offered, and Tsunade nodded, satisfied with that.

"Good, as for the rest… leave it to the written report. Now, I need to discuss something more important with you." A smile meant to be placating didn't fool the Copy-nin for a second. A sense of dread started to creep over him; whatever she wanted to discuss with him, Kakashi just knew he wasn't going to walk away from there happy. The Copy-nin sighed deeply; he didn't even bother to conceal it, and reached up to rub his left eye.

He was tired, hungry, and cold, and his inmost wish was to go home and hopefully crash into a coma. He wasn't even picky if he did so on his bed or not. As soon as Tsunade began to talk, Kakashi cursed whatever god above who'd seen it fit to throw some really shitty karma in his way. Apparently Kakashi must've enjoyed kicking puppies or robbing old ladies in his former life.

"I need you to supervise a new ANBU recruit", Tsunade said and reached for a folder on her desk. Ah yes, there was the dread again, only tripled and mixed with more than a hint of annoyance. Hatake Kakashi did not supervise recruits, hell, it was even a miracle he'd passed team seven at all, back in the days.

"No", Kakashi replied bluntly without even looking at Tsunade.

"It's not a request, Kakashi, it's an order", Tsunade sighed. Any other shinobi in Konoha, with even a hint of self-preservation, would've heard the warningly hint, saluted her and bolted from the office as fast as they could. Kakashi wasn't anyone.

"I still refuse. I've barely set my foot in the village, I'm starved, exhausted and not really in the mood to babysit piss-ant-wannabe-heroes. So with all due respect, Hokage-sama. Fuck no", the Copy-nin told her curtly, with total disregard for his own life.

Tsunade cocked an eyebrow at this blatant display of nonchalant insubordination. Normally, Kakashi was kind of stiff when he came back from a mission, she was feeling a little put out when the silver-haired ANBU was so moody.

If it'd been merely because of fatigue or maybe an aggravated wound, Tsunade supposed she would've cut him some slack. But… when one of her best verbally spat her in the face it was time for the silk-gloves to come off.

"Frankly, I don't give a shit about what you want, captain", she said coolly. "If I would indulge all of my subordinates every time they whined, Konoha would be nothing but a smoldering pile of ash by now. I'm your supreme superior; you do as I say, not the other way around."

Kakashi's spine straightened significantly, his left eye snapping open as he stared at her with cold, hard eyes. Tsunade stared right back, gaze equally hard; she wasn't the Fifth Hokage because of her softness. They held the stare for a few minutes and in the end Kakashi was the one to break it and look away, posture slowly relaxing.

"My apologies, Hokage-sama. Please, may I see the file?"

"Better. And yes, you may." Tsunade gave him her sweetest smile and handed him the folder in her hand. Silence dropped over the room and the Fifth looked out through the window as Kakashi read the documents in his lap. Tsunade couldn't help smirking when he inhaled sharply and then, to her immense delight, Kakashi slumped back in the chair and moaned loudly.

"Nooo! Why? Why do you want me so ill?" The uncharacteristic wail was downright hilarious, Tsunade had a hard time not laughing out loud.

"Oh, stop exaggerating. You and Naruto will have a wonderful time during this. Strengthen the bonds, reestablish your relationship, as it were." Kakashi righted himself and the deadpan stare only served to fuel her amusement. The Copy-nin had always suspected, but now he knew she was the devil in disguise. He seriously considered if a life as a missing-nin wasn't more appealing than his current one.

"I refuse", Kakashi stated again, tossing the file on top of the smallest pile on her desk, and crossed his arms defiantly. He knew he behaved far too immature, but right then and there he didn't care.

"Oh, but lucky for you, refusal isn't an option. Not if you want to be stripped of your rank, degraded to genin and take on D mission for the rest of the year, that is?"

Kakashi sat frozen in the chair, jaw tense and a muscled twitched on his cheek. He appeared to be gritting his teeth, and Tsunade reveled in the glee filling her as she could finally pay him back for many hours of suffering under him and his antics.

"Fine", he muttered in the end, got up, snatched the file and stalked towards the door.

"Good. Naruto is waiting for you at training ground six at seven o'clock, don't be late."

Stopping in his tracks, Kakashi turned back to face her.

"Seven? It's almost four now and I haven't had any sleep in two days! How am I supposed to train him if I can't keep my eyes open?" he almost exclaimed.

"It's your headache now. Draw up a schedule or something, do whatever you want, as long as you meet him", she sighed, resisting the urge to reach up and rub her temples.

Kakashi spun again and muttered something that sounded like, "Damned old blackmailing, alcoholic hags and hyperactive ANBU wannabe idiots." under his breath.

"What was that?" Tsunade barked; the jug of sake in her hand tilted and ready to pour its contents into a cup. Kakashi froze and turned his head towards her; his eyes shut into two, happy looking crescents.

"Have a good night, Hokage-sama!" Kakashi hurried to say, his hands already blurring through seals and then he was gone in a swirl of leafs.

Tsunade spun her chair so she could look out over the village, drinking the cup of sake with a meditative frown on her face. She'd assigned Kakashi to Naruto because they were exactly what the other needed right then.

Kakashi would help Naruto with that temper of his; the Copy-nin had always had a calming effect on the jinchüriki. He was also the best man to hone Naruto's skills. Granted, the kid was a very good shinobi, one of the strongest she'd ever met, but he still had weak points which Kakashi would help strengthen. And Kakashi could certainly need some time off from missions; they had been far too frequent lately. Naruto had a talent of getting people to loosen up a little, simply by being around them and that was just what the great Copy-nin was in need of.

Not to mention that the two of them were the most compatible team she had ever come across. Tsunade knew that they would get along just fine. No matter what either of them thought about the other, there was something special between them, a spark of something neither seemed aware of yet. The Fifth Hokage smirked as she rubbed her upper lip with a fingertip.

Yes… there was definitely something going on with the two of them, she could hardly wait to see how it would develop. After Sasuke, Naruto deserved every chance at happiness he could get. Tsunade toasted to herself and smiled, hoping that they would last enough in each other's company, without killing each other, to see it.

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><p>The clock was almost nine pm, and two figures moved from opposite directions towards training area six. The shorter was dragging his feet, head hanging dejectedly and steps slowing as he came closer to his destination, his blond hair a muted shade of gold in the moonlight. The other walked leisurely with his hands in his pockets, the tall body bent in the customary slouch that was almost as telling as the messy mop of silver hair.<p>

They met at the opening in the fence surrounding the small field, coming to a halt with a few feet between them.

"Yo", Kakashi said with a lazy, two-fingered wave of his hand, before slipping it back in its pocket. He ached all over, was more tried than he'd been in a long time and wanted to get this over with as fast as possible.

"Hey", Naruto muttered sulkily, staring down at the ground.

"Wasn't we supposed to meet at seven?" Kakashi smirked under his mask when Naruto looked up, glaring eyes glimmering, the dark robbing them of their color.

"The day you're on time is the day pigs starts flying", the blond informer his former sensei, who chuckled in response.

"You never know. Maybe pigs really can fly in some part of the world."

"And maybe you're full of it", Naruto mumbled under his breath.

He had no idea what he'd expected from this meeting. Naruto hadn't seen Kakashi for over a year, only briefly in passing now and then. Naruto suspected that the Copy-nin was back in ANBU and that was the reason behind his frequent absence. Seeing Kakashi now, Naruto didn't know if he was pleased or not to see that Kakashi hadn't changed a bit.

Kakashi's appearance was the same; the slouch, the lazy, blank eye, the masked face and tilted hitai-ate, even the strands of his chaotic hair seemed unchanged.

"So… shall we?" Kakashi motioned towards the field beyond to fence; walking passed the gate without a backward glance.

"Sure…" Naruto mumbled as he followed, eyes trained on the ground.

Their time together on team seven had been a never ending battle of wills between the jinchüriki and the Copy-nin, when the latter didn't want to teach the blond anything other than the basics. Sure, Kakashi had devoted more time and taught him after he came back from his years with Jiraya, but once Naruto was done with the Rasenshuriken and Sasuke was back in Konoha, they had parted ways again. One would've thought that the team would be together from then on, but Sasuke had been stuck in house arrest while Naruto earned his chunin rank, falling out of the need of a fixed team to rely upon.

After that there hadn't been any reason to get team seven together again. After everything that had happened during the last couple of years, Naruto was forced to admit that he had been so preoccupied with his own life that he hadn't even spared Kakashi a second thought.

A strained silence hung between them, mostly because both were laden with guilt. What do you say to someone you've ignored for a year, Kakashi wondered as they closed in on the tree in the middle of the field.

He glanced back at the blond, noticing the changes in his former student. Naruto had grown taller again, towering near Kakashi's own height and his hair was longer too, the longest strands brushing the collar of his flak jacket. And he'd achieved his jounin rank too, apparently, Kakashi noted with a small smile. Not that he'd expected anything less; Naruto was a brilliant shinobi, one of the best out there. It was good to see that he finally had visible proof of his development, after the hard resistance from the council.

Kakashi turned around to face the blond once at the tree, regarding him silently. Naruto seemed calmer, more contemplative and mellow than Kakashi was used to see him. Naruto raised his head and when their eyes met the Copy-nin was struck with the resemblance the blond held with his father.

The inheritance was undeniable; Namikaze Minato was staring back at his former charge from behind Naruto's eyes. It was a little unsettling and the memory of his dead sensei still smarted, but when Kakashi looked more closely, he could also see Kushina in the boy. It hadn't been as apparent when Naruto was younger, but now that his face had started to mature into that of a man, his mother's features were there too. Kakashi spotted it in the fine bone structure, the shape of the eyes, the silky hair and the slender, willowy frame.

The Fourth's and the Whirlpool fugitive's genes had mixed well, and Naruto had certainly turned attractive now that he was almost fully grown. Kakashi blinked.

_Attractive? The hell…?_

"I'm going to sit down, you mind?" He asked Naruto, who looked startled at the sudden sound of his voice. The jinchüriki recovered soon enough, and shook his head in negative, mirroring Kakashi when the older man sat down on the ground; back against the tree and legs nonchalantly crossed at the ankles.

"So... how've you been?" Naruto asked after another lengthy pause, keeping his gaze directed at the stretch of grass between their legs.

"Mah, as usual I guess. Swamped with too many missions", he answered blandly. The tension returned, it was suspended like a partly visibly veil amid the two men.

"And you?" the Copy-nin felt compelled to ask, when Naruto didn't seem inclined to ask anything else.

"Could've been better", the blond replied with a shrug.

"Ah. Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

And there was that quietness again. Kakashi had never been one for idle chitchat, but this was getting ridiculous. Naruto had never been able to shut up for more than five seconds in one go, whenever the topic of training came up. What the hell had inspired such a change in him, that Kakashi barely recognized him anymore? All right, to be fair, he hadn't really known Naruto deeply, had never nurtured the desire to do so before, but it was still unsettling to think that you had someone figured out only to be proven wrong.

"Okay then", Kakashi said when he'd grown tired of counting stars and trying to keep his eye from drifting shut, when the fatigue tried to pull him under. "Training. Tsunade approached me and said that you needed my help." Naruto snorted sardonically, looking up at Kakashi with a smirk over his face. Kakashi blinked again when a hint of heat sparked in his lower stomach, at the sight of Naruto's eyes twinkling with dark glee.

"She approached you? We both know she most probably had to at least threaten you, or did she resort to blackmail?"

Kakashi cleared his throat a little embarrassedly. It wasn't Naruto per say he had so much against; he just didn't want to train anyone, former student or no.

"Blackmail is… such a strong word, Naruto. Let's just say that her methods of persuasion are rather harsh and leave it at that, all right?" Naruto chuckled at that, clearly entertained by his words. The spark of heat grew into a small flame, and the Copy-nin frowned.

"Let me guess… you were threatened with degradation and D-ranks for a year right?" The older man gave him an odd look, his eye hardening and the air about him changed; going from relaxed to tense in a second.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto exclaimed when Kakashi suddenly jumped up into a crouch, kunai poised and ready to strike. The blond scrambled backwards, hands slipping in the damp grass under his palms.

"Here's the deal… I don't really know what's going on, but I demand that you state your identity and business or you will die."

"Are you out of your mind?" Naruto's eyes were wide, mouth agape as Kakashi rose to his full height, towering over the younger man on the ground.

"I assure you that I'm only slightly unstable. Who are you?"

"Are you drunk?" Naruto wanted to know, all but shouting the questions as he jumped to his feet. He wasn't really comfortable with sitting defenseless on the ground with an apparently crazy Copy-nin looming over him with a kunai in one hand.

"I'm sober as the day I was born. Now answer my question: Who. The. Hell. Are. You?"

The steam ran out of Kakashi when the person facing him just stared at him in bewilderment for a hushed second, and then started to laugh. The blond wrapped his arms around his middle and positively howled with laughter, tears of mirth wetting his scarred cheeks.

"I-I'm s-sor-ry", Naruto stuttered out in between gales of laughter "I-I'll exp-plain in a-a s-sec… j-just give me a mo-moment! Oh god!" The youth moaned, fingers clutching the green fabric over his stomach when it started to ache.

"Good that you are happy. Then you can die that way too", Kakashi retorted, having found his composure during the time it took for Naruto to find his. The silver-haired man moved to kill, but Naruto stopped his hand with a firm grip around his wrist, a small smile replacing the guffawing.

"It really is me, there's not someone trying to impersonate me – and failing at it, I might add." Kakashi observed him for a moment, eye narrowed and suspicious. Then, a spark of mischief flared in his gaze, and Naruto paled. He'd been on the receiving end of that look on more than one occasion, he knew what it entailed. The blond braced himself for whatever crap would come out of the older man's mouth, and Kakashi didn't fail to deliver.

"It that so? Well then, if you're really Naruto… state his favorite ramen, the color of his underwear and which volume of Icha Ichia had a particularly raunchy scene with bananas, a pineapple and at least three pair of women in it?" Naruto groaned out loud.

Kakashi had always tried to coerce him to reveal whether he'd been forced to read the Pervy-sage's manuscripts or not. When Kakashi wrenched his wrist out of Naruto's grip, quickly spun him around and pinned the shorter man against the tree, he groaned again. Kakashi raised his right eyebrow and tapped the tip of his knife against a spot of skin beneath the blond's ear, reminding Naruto that he didn't have much choice this time.

"I'm waiting." Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, face contorted in a pained expression.

"My favorite ramen is miso-pork. The color of my underwear is none of your damned business, you pervert and…"

"And…?"

"The scene you're referring to… is in volume four." The last part came out in an indignant whisper, as if it physically hurt to tell that information. Kakashi released him immediately and took a step backwards, giving the blond a smile that shut his eye completely, turning it the expected arch.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

"Easy for you to say."

"Can't you take a joke, Naruto", Kakashi chuckled, genuinely amused. Somehow, during the time he hadn't been looking, Naruto had grown up, matured a little. It thrilled him, washing the dread he'd felt earlier away. If the blond was going to behave like someone his age, training wasn't going to be a problem at all.

What could potentially become one though was the flash of attraction that Kakashi was now sure he felt for the blond. He'd only needed to be close to him for a minute and that little moment had been enough for Kakashi to confirm what he'd suspected.

"So… training?" Naruto's voice pulled him out of his mind. Kakashi cocked his head, staring hard for a second.

"Yeah… let's get down to business."

"Great, I want to go to sleep at some point tonight", Naruto grumbled but the small smile curving the well-shaped lips gave his enjoyment away. A small jolt of desire when he spotted that had Kakashi looking away. He had no idea if Naruto was still with Sasuke, but that wouldn't stop him from finding out more about Naruto that he'd apparently overlooked during their years as superior and subordinate.

_Strengthen bonds and reestablish our relationship… somehow it doesn't sound that bad._

Glancing at the blond as they sat down, Kakashi's mouth formed a smile of his own. The following month was bound to be most interesting.

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN:** Please leave a comment ^^


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait, I had a little trouble with the editing of this chapter, not to mention that RL had precedences ^^

Thanks for the lovely reviews so far, you guys are awesome XD

**Warnings:** Well, still unbetaed, any mistakes are totally my bad. A little smexyness, so if you are the sensitive sort or haven't caught on yet what kind of story this is, kindly go to the left ^^

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

_Evaluate - evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of_

_Strong hands ghosted over tanned skin, feather light touches grazing a taut, quivering stomach. Muffled moans mixed with ragged pants floated in the air, each new sound transcending the former. Murmured words that Naruto could barely hear through the haze in his mind added another layer to the erotic musical. The atmosphere was heavy, dense with expectation and barely held back excitement, and he could feel his pale lover's smirk against his skin. Light kisses and small nips of teeth had Naruto writhing and shivering against the blue sheets beneath his sweat coated body._

_"Please…" the blond panted and managed to raise his head, lust glazed, blue peering down at the head between his legs, long strands of silver teasing the sensitive skin on his lower abs and upper thighs._

_"Yes…?" The response was muffled against the inside of his leg, sharp teeth pinching the velvety skin where groin met limb. Naruto mewled in pleasure filled pain, and his head dropped back down on the duvet again._

_"Please…" Naruto begged yet again, his body jerking impatiently when he felt hot puffs of air fan over the head of his erection._

_"That's it", the smooth voice purred, mouth moving closer to the straining, hard flesh as mismatched eyes flashed for a moment. "Beg me more…"_

Long, dark blond lashes fluttered as Naruto slowly drifted awake, sleepy, blue eyes squinting against the bright light. He was barely conscious, still half-way lost in the pleasant dream when he became aware of a weight on his middle. Naruto blinked again, sight clearing as his eyes focused on a face that hovered an inch or two above his.

"Yo!"

"_Gyaaa!"_ The scream that tore from Naruto's throat was no manlier than that of a five year old girl's. Kakashi's only visible eye crinkled at the corner, the grey iris twinkling merrily.

"Good morning, oh student of mine. Time to rise and shine", the silver-haired man sang in a disgustingly cheerful tone.

Naruto pressed a hand above his heart, trying to calm it down as the adrenaline that had rushed into his blood started to subside. Going from an extremely erotic dream, to be awakened with a face in your own face wasn't funny. At all.

"You're a fuckin' sadist, you know that right?"

"I do happen to be aware of that aspect of my personality, yes", Kakashi chirped. "But you like me anyway."

"Like hell I do", Naruto barked in response, as he became aware of the fact that while his dream may have faded, his morning erection had not. Suddenly he was blushing furiously when he realized that Kakashi was just in the right position to notice. You'd have to be pretty stupid not to, it was a rather obvious bulge in the blond's sweats after all.

Kakashi, at first confused by Naruto's flushing face, caught on pretty quick. Slowly, to Naruto's mortification, a silver brow deliberately arched, the grey eye glimmered wickedly and then it glanced down to where Naruto's dick pressed up against the underside of the Copy-nin's left thigh.

"Is that for me or do you happen to hide a banana in your pants?"

"Get off me you pervert!" Naruto yelled on top of his lungs and shoved the taller man hard in the chest. Kakashi's chuckle rang out through the apartment as he allowed the blond's push to move him and landed on the floor with a muted thump, his grin wide enough to stretch the fabric of his mask.

Naruto struggled to sit up, his legs tangling in the blanket all the time and deterring him from getting off the couch and kick Kakashi's ass. Angry, blue glared down at the laughing man on the floor, but as Naruto was about to snap at Kakashi to shut the hell up, Sakura beat him to it.

The door to her bedroom flew open and the pink-haired kunoichi tore out of there like a bat from hell, a rugged looking bathrobe haphazardly thrown around her shoulders. Both men stilled and blinked at the sight.

"What is it? What's going on? Are we under attack?" she bellowed loud enough to rouse any neighbors not already wide-awake from Naruto and Kakashi's activities. She stopped when she spotted her former sensei on the ground below the couch, a flushed Naruto half-way up from it with the blanket twisted around one leg. A very awkward silence filled the room; the air thick with unspoken words until…

"Really, Sakura_. Green?_" Kakashi sounded as if in deep agony and how a two inch square of skin and one eye could convey his painful expression was anyone's guess. Naruto chocked on a giggle, hurriedly clapping a hand over his mouth when Sakura narrowed her eyes, his own wide and innocent.

"And what, pray tell, is wrong with green?" The acid tone didn't discourage Kakashi from answering; he faced more intimidating enemies out on missions. Or so he thought, before he changed his mind as Sakura turned blazing, green eyes on him.

"Nothing, nothing. Such a fetching color, really, it brings out your eyes and whatnot", he said with a smile and sat up. Slowly. He didn't want to aggravate her further after all. Sakura regarded them both for a while before she visibly deflated, shoulders heaving when she gave a great sigh and turned back to her bedroom.

"It's too early for this", she mumbled in farewell. Kakashi and Naruto stared after her but didn't start laughing before they were pretty sure she'd gone back to sleep.

"Oh my god!" Naruto snickered, falling back on the couch, his body shaking from the force of his hilarity. Kakashi wiped a tear from his visible eye, trying to calm his hitching breath but his own mirth were fuelled further by Naruto's, who seemed unable to stop at all. It didn't help that the image of Sakura in a knee length nightie with the words 'POWER OF YOUTH!' emblazoned in orange across fabric in the same shade of green as Gai's and Lee's spandex suits, were forever branded in his memory.

"I had no idea Gai had launched his own line of nightwear", Kakashi wheezed, one hand clutching the fabric over his stomach. If he didn't get a hold on himself soon, he was going to faint from lack of air.

"I-I don't think he did." Naruto was pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes, the grin stretching his mouth wide enough to hurt.

"I'm still awake and can hear you just fine you know. And Lee had the nightgown specially made for me." Sakura's voice floated out through the closed door, the quality very saccharine. Both men stopped their guffawing immediately, spines stiff as they glanced at each other.

"So… ramen sounds good to you? Like right now?" Naruto wasted no time to free himself of the blanket and located his uniform in less than ten seconds.

"Great idea, I don't know why I didn't think about it", the older man answered, eyes tracing Naruto's posterior, so innocently displayed, when the youth bent down and quickly secured the white wrappings around his legs.

_That's one very fine looking ass indeed. _

Quickly averting his gaze when Naruto straightened and reached for his shirt, Kakashi turned his back on him and eyed a painting on the wall that looked like… penises? He cocked his head, eye peering to make out the odd shapes.

"Why does Sakura have phallus symbols on her wall?" Kakashi couldn't resist the temptation to ask.

"I think she got it from Sai", came Naruto's somewhat muffled response, the shorter, blond strands sticking out in impossible directions when he'd pulled the shirt over his head.

"…And she hung it in the lounge?"

The bedroom door flung open again and Sakura appeared, glaring hard at Naruto and the unwanted guest disturbing her day off.

"He's sensitive about his art. Now get the hell out before I lend you a hand!" Kakashi moved quickly, Naruto barely had time to grab his flak jacket before the silver-haired man had the seals done and dragged the blond along in his teleportation jutsu.

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><p>"You could've given a guy some warning before you did that", Naruto muttered as they stepped out of the alley across Ichiraku's, pulling on his jacket and zipping it with a flourish of his hand. He tied his hitai-ate around his left arm with practiced ease, he'd stopped wearing it around his head two years prior.<p>

"When she's like that it's either run or stay and join the names on the Memorial stone", Kakashi said with a shrug as he dug into the pouch at the small of his back for his book, flipping it open in front of his face with a snap.

"True."

Walking the short distance they took seats at the counter inside of the restaurant, giving Teuchi a nod in greeting before ordering their food. The pair waited in silence, Naruto staring at the wall on the other side of the counter and Kakashi seemingly engrossed with his literature.

Naruto hadn't really had time to reflect over his dream, not with the morning he'd had. He took the opportunity to do it now, turning it over in his head. It was the kind of dream that lingered long after you'd woken up, a small nagging sliver of it clinging in the back of your mind that refused to go away.

It was disconcerting to realize that he'd thought he'd dreamed about Sasuke, only to have flashes of moonlight colored hair and a set of mismatched eyes floating back at him instead. Naruto glanced at Kakashi, so into the book he didn't even notice Naruto's glances. The blond took a moment to contemplate the man beside him.

For the first time it seemed, Naruto noted the nonchalant grace the man carried himself with, whether in motion or still. He couldn't stop staring at the long lines of his body, the faint outlines of toned biceps under the tight, dark blue fabric of Kakashi's shirt. Kakashi shifted a little on his seat, drawing Naruto's eyes to spot the way Kakashi's pants seemed to cling to long, muscular thighs and how the white leg wraps hugged strong looking calves.

To his dismay Naruto felt a flicker of attraction and his dick twitched in interest, at the same time as his heart throbbed painfully in his chest. Naruto blanched and got the sudden urge to scoot over to the empty seat next to him, to put as much between himself and Kakashi as possible. That couldn't be right. He could not be interested in Hatake Kakashi. He liked the man well enough, he supposed, but that didn't mean that he wanted to…

_Stop thinking about it._

Naruto shook his head roughly, trying to forget the disturbing discovery by burying it in the deepest parts of his mind. Even if he did feel something… that didn't mean he had to have to act on it. He'd had enough of love and desire; his only purpose was to get accepted into ANBU and then start to work towards his goal to become Hokage. Nothing else mattered.

"So... did you actually have a reason to scare me half to death this morning, or was that just an outlet for your sick sense of humor?" Kakashi turned his head to him, the book dangling loosely in one hand.

"Why, Naruto, one could think that you don't appreciate me at all", the older man teased, arching one eyebrow in mock hurt. Naruto huffed, secretly amused.

"You tell me anyone who think it's funny to wake up and have your face an inch from theirs", he challenged. The pondering silence following was lengthy.

"…Gai?" Kakashi hummed after a while. Naruto's deadpan expression must've made the older man realize to just not go down that way.

"Right", Kakashi conceded sheepishly. Teuchi chose that moment to serve them and put two steaming bowls of ramen in front of them. Naruto ate slowly, savoring the taste while trying to sneak a peek at Kakashi's face. He did a double take when he saw that Kakashi's own bowl was already empty.

"How the hell do you do that?" the blond exclaimed, chopsticks clenched in his hand as he hit the counter with a sense of frustration. Kakashi offered a lazy glance out of the corner of his eye, and Naruto just knew that the infuriating man was smirking.

"That's a secret."

"You're a right bastard."

"Why thank you, so I've been told."

Kakashi let Naruto finish his ramen in peace, holding back on a chuckle now and then. It was always so entertaining to poke fun at the blond, it never got old. When the food was gone and Naruto seemed to settle for only one bowl, Kakashi turned to face him, elbow supporting him as he leaned his left cheek against his hand.

"All right, time to get serious." Naruto's expression changed from faintly annoyed to somber, blue eyes regarding Kakashi blankly.

"I'm ready."

"You sure? Because the five minutes I spent on top of you while you were moaning in you sleep could've fooled me." A blush started up the blond's neck and the embarrassment all but radiated from him.

"Seriously? _I moaned? _Oh god." Naruto hid his face in his hands, wanting nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow him.

"You did", Kakashi assured him. "But that's neither here nor there. You didn't wake up even when I sat down on you."

Naruto peeked up at Kakashi from between his fingers. "So? I was tired, okay?"

"Your sense of self-preservation is seriously scaring me; I'm disappointed in you, Naruto."

"That's not fair! Why would I have to look out for enemies when I'm in Konoha?" Naruto was indignant; feeling like Kakashi was being bigoted deliberately.

"Fair has nothing to do with it", Kakashi answered with a monotone voice but the blond could distinguish a hint of chiding behind the bland timbre. "If you'd been out in the field you would've been dead by now."

"But missions are a different thing entirely", Naruto pointed out, being correct for once.

"That's not the point I'm trying to make here. At home, out in the field, it doesn't matter. You keep your guard up. Do you even understand what being an ANBU means?" the Copy-nin asked, softening the quality of his tone. Naruto averted his eyes and lowered his head.

"I do", he muttered a little sulkily. Kakashi shook his head, exasperated.

"No, you just think you do. You've based your knowledge on rumors, and while some of it may be accurate, the rest is the usual bullshit. Right now you're a brilliant jounin, one of the best in this village; however, you're no ANBU material. But…" Kakashi said as he held up a hand, stopping Naruto from interrupting when the younger man opened his mouth to protest.

"We're going to correct that, among other stuff. First things first, though, I want to see how you've developed." Naruto was taken aback when Kakashi reached back to rummage through his pouch and when he heard the soft chime from a bell Naruto almost groaned out loud.

"You have to retrieve this from me before noon", Kakashi informed him, tied the bell to his belt and was gone in a puff of smoke. Naruto sat immobile for a long moment. Then he realized that Kakashi had fobbed the bill for the food on him. Swearing colorfully, Naruto paid the old man and walked out of there.

He had to find Kakashi before noon. Naruto snorted softly, Kakashi must really think he was still a genin. The blond gathered chakra in his legs and propelled himself up on a nearby roof. Up there Naruto closed his eyes and extended his chakra, searching with invisible strings for Kakashi's telltale signature.

It didn't take long to pick up the trail, seeing as it was so fresh. Naruto opened his eyes again and couldn't resist the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Catching Kakashi would be no easy feat, but it would still be so much fun to try. And fun was really something Naruto needed after the week he'd had. Taking a deep breath and then exhaling calmly, the jinchüriki took off, sprinting over rooftops in the direction of the Hokage Mountain.

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><p>"You managed to find me fairly quickly, I'll give you that. And you got the bell too." Kakashi smiled and patted Naruto on the shoulder. "Oh, and I'm sorry about the mud, I had no idea you'd trip over that unfortunate rock."<p>

Blue eyes glowered from underneath dirty, blond bangs. "…Sure, no hard feelings."

Kakashi beamed. "Great, so let's get on with this then." Kakashi waved with his hand at the targets behind him. "Show me a little target practice."

It had taken Naruto all morning to track down the elusive Copy-nin; he could be really hard to find when didn't want to be. He'd found Kakashi in the forest behind the Hokage Mountain after an hour, but the initial chase had taken close to three, before Naruto had managed to snatch the bell from Kakashi's belt. This scenario had ended with Naruto face planting in a mud filled ditch when the older man had pushed him, as he'd tried to get out of Naruto's grip, and Naruto had stumbled over a rock sticking up out of the ground, which neither had noticed.

"I'm already a jounin; do we really have to do this?" Naruto wondered; sounding only a little whiny as he retrieved four kunai from the holster tied to his left leg, flakes of dried mud cracking and falling off his clothes as he moved.

"Sure we have to; it's a part of the training." Kakashi took a step back, motioning to the blond to throw. "Show me what you've got."

"All right, all right", Naruto grumbled, doing as he was told. It didn't take more than three throws for Kakashi to see that Naruto didn't need to tune any throwing skills; the blond was already good enough.

"Okay, stop." Naruto looked back at the older man, his head cocked in askance. "We can move on, I don't need to see more of this." Naruto nodded and went to retrieve his weapons, leaving Kakashi to stare after him. The silver-haired man felt out of his depth, sort of. Naruto was different, he could tell that much just from being around him the other night and from their day in each other's company so far.

There was no doubt that Naruto was still the same hot-headed, mischief filled brat he'd always been but just more… controlled. Kakashi had never seen Naruto so calm or obedient. Had it been two years before, the blond would've complained and asked a million questions. It felt refreshing, like Kakashi was finally allowed to take part of a well-kept secret few were privy to. Kakashi didn't know the last time he'd felt so much excitement before the prospect of training anyone. The fact that Naruto also seemed to grow more attractive each time Kakashi looked away, was certainly nothing negative either.

The sun was high in the sky, beating down on the pair in the training field when Naruto came back to stand at Kakashi's side, blue eyes wide and expectant.

"So, what's next then?"

Kakashi smiled. "Lose the flak jacket and show me some katas."

Naruto frowned. "Katas? In this heat?"

"You'll live. I want to see how you move." Naruto threw him a suspicious glance, tanned, slender fingers slowly unzipping the muddy jacket.

"This isn't a ploy to get me undressed so you can perv over me, right?"

A grey eye twinkled innocently. "Would I do that?"

"I would most certainly not think it beneath you." Kakashi snorted and turned away, walking up to sit down and lean against the tree a few paces away. Sitting in the blessed shade, legs crossed at the ankles and looking far too smug for someone with a mask over more than half of their face, Kakashi motioned for the blond to carry on. Naruto rolled his eyes in reply, huffing and mumbling something under his breath as he moved into the first stance.

Kakashi's keen eye followed Naruto as the younger man moved through the different positions, tilting his head and pursing his lips in contemplation. He stared, watching the fluidity of Naruto's motions, the grace he carried himself with and how fucking gorgeous he was underneath the sun's rays.

The light emphasized the brighter strands in Naruto's hair, making it shine in shades that spanned from darker blond to platinum. Kakashi drank in the way the shirt and pants hugged the youth's long, lithe muscles, and it was hard to miss just how in shape Naruto's body was. And limber. Kakashi's eyebrows arched.

_Damn… I bet I could wrap him around me like a slinky… _

Sweat beaded on the blond's forehead, drops rolling down dirty, scarred cheeks and the long neck to disappear beneath the collar of Naruto's shirt. Was he imagining things, or did his groin actually throb at the thought of chasing after each drop with his lips and tongue? Naruto, oblivious to Kakashi's rather blatant scrutiny, shifted on his feet, his back to Kakashi when he moved on to a higher level.

Kakashi's head tilted a little more, to get a better view of the shapely ass on display, when his ex-student bent over for a second. Yeah, he'd definitely grown up nicely, Kakashi decided. It was a little frustrating feeling that level of attraction, when he still didn't know if Naruto was committed with Sasuke or not.

Despite sneaking notion that Naruto was, in fact, single, didn't mean that Kakashi could act on it. It wasn't a secret that Naruto had been madly in love with Sasuke, even if nobody knew for sure what kind of feelings the last Uchiha nurtured towards the blond. If Naruto then were free to be with whomever he wanted didn't mean he wanted to be free and whatever with him.

Then again, Kakashi mused, it wasn't like they'd trained for even a full day yet. Attraction aside, they would be spending every day with each other for the next month. Kakashi had all the time he wanted to make out whether Naruto would be open for some more… private interactions further down the road.

"That's enough Naruto, thank you", Kakashi called suddenly; startling Naruto out of the peaceful state of mind he always slipped into whenever he worked through the smooth, calming motions of his katas. He dropped his hands and turned to Kakashi, wiping a hand across his forehead as he walked up to the reclining Copy-nin.

"Seen enough then?" the younger man wondered, propping his hands on his hips as he peered down at the older man. Kakashi's eye crinkled at the corners when he smiled up at Naruto.

"You've really improved, Naruto. Last time I saw you do your katas you had yet to reach the highest level."

There was a decidedly smug quality over Naruto's smile. "I am a jounin, y'know. Can't become that with sloppy taijutsu."

"Ah, you had Lee help you out, didn't you?"

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah and… Sasuke gave me some tips as well. He always was better than me at it." Kakashi wanted to ask about the pause before Naruto had said his lover's name, but the way Naruto's eyes shuttered had him rethinking. There was clearly something going on with Naruto, he didn't know what yet, but was starting to feel more inclined to find out. But it would not be this day; he still had to get used to the toned down version of Naruto first.

"Well I'm happy you got better, it will make this whole thing a lot easier than if I'd have to correct your moves at every turn. Now… how about a ninjutsu demonstration?"

This time, Naruto's smile was feral.

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><p>The sun was beginning to set when the pair finally decided to take a well-earned break. Kakashi was breathing hard, both of his eyes exposed as he'd been forced to reveal his Sharingan in order to keep up. He was down to his shirt and pants too by then, just like Naruto. In the end it had become too hot to keep it on.<p>

After Kakashi's suggestion, it hadn't taken Naruto long to engage the Copy-nin in a spar. It had started out friendly enough, but when Kakashi accidentally – he really didn't mean to – nicked Naruto's upper arm with his kunai, something had flashed in the blond's eyes. It went downhill from there and it hadn't taken long for the spar to develop into a small scale battle.

Techniques had rained left and right, kunai, senbons and shuriken were hurled at the other and more blows than they could count had been exchanged. Kakashi hadn't been that pressed in a long time, he'd had a really hard time keeping Naruto on the offensive so he could attack properly.

And Kakashi had more fun than he could remember ever having when sparring. To go the whole hog and not hold back was a rare treat, something Kakashi only indulged in randomly when he was facing a stronger or equally powerful comrade, or enemy.

To match Naruto's already considerable strength and still know that the blond had even more to give was a thrill, it appealed to Kakashi's alpha nature on so many levels. He'd fought the urge to assert dominance more than once during the fight, and had been forced to combat the impulse to claim the blond whenever he'd left an opening.

It had been a hard struggle when considering the ample opportunities he'd gotten whenever he'd been close up with Naruto. Kakashi had drowned in the scent of sweat mingled with the faint traces of apple and wind, and the intoxicating rush of adrenaline as he'd stared into blazing, blue eyes had made him feel dizzy from desire.

Fighting always affected him in that way, it was a conditioned response by now; though he was pretty sure most of it had to do with Naruto. The younger man was just so… enigmatic; Kakashi couldn't put his finger on it. He knew Naruto was stronger than him, could beat Kakashi into a pulp with little effort but still held back, at one point he'd even seemed a little dazed, resulting in getting nicked by the kunai Kakashi had launched at him.

That, more than anything, had spurred Kakashi to try harder in order to escalate the situation, to get Naruto to reach the level where he'd be forced to use all of his might and let Kakashi get a good chance to learn just how strong he was. He'd been somewhat successful, pushing the other to at least unleash his more lethal attacks upon Kakashi in order to get away from the correspondingly, vicious assaults.

To say that Kakashi had been delighted beyond his expectations would be an understatement. At least until Kakashi threw a low level genjutsu over the field. Naruto had been left a sitting target, vulnerable to Kakashi as the older man struck fast and hard.

And now Naruto was scowling at him from where he was sitting on the ground a few feet away, nursing a nasty looking bruise at the back of his neck. It happened to be where the Copy-nin's hand had landed the final blow. Kakashi gazed back unapologetically, simply arching his right eyebrow in silent chiding.

Naruto's scowl deepened. "Shut up, I know all right!"

The eyebrow inched higher. "I didn't say a word."

Naruto grumbled under his breath though had to admit that the reproach in Kakashi's eye was justified. He'd always been weak towards genjutsu; he'd barely made it through the jounin exam thanks to that. Naruto huffed and looked away, too aware of the Copy-nin's gaze on him than he wanted to acknowledge.

The whole fight would've probably gone much smoother if Naruto hadn't been too busy ogling his ex-teacher, but fuck, who the hell wouldn't take the chance when offered the opportunity to get a closer look at Kakashi without his, every other time present, flak jacket?

Naruto hadn't been able to help it as his eyes had drifted over to the older man. Kakashi may have been pushing thirty three, but he was still a man in his absolute prime, looking like someone ten years younger. The laidback attitude could only partly hide the powerful aura all but oozing from him, and it only took one, serious look from his heavy lidded eye to know that he was not a man to be messed with.

So how could Naruto have forced himself to look away, when Kakashi's sweat damp clothes had clearly outlined long, firm muscles, developed and hardened from years of training and battles? Also add the fact that he'd had both eyes revealed and Naruto was fortunate that he hadn't been outright killed by Kakashi. Naruto's brain berated him for letting something like a fine body distract him while his libido sang praises to his wandering eyes instead.

A hand suddenly clasping his shoulder had Naruto jumping as he was startled back to the reality. Wary, blue eyes looked up to meet soft grey, the iris dark with an emotion Naruto didn't have time to read before it was gone.

"Don't take it so hard, Naruto", Kakashi told him, giving him a smile that brightened the serious eye. "Your taijutsu and ninjutsu are both very good." Naruto looked away again, terribly aware of the big, warm hand that seemed to burn his skin right through his shirt.

"Tell that to the ones who'll kill me because I can't even break out of the weakest illusion", the blond mumbled and shrugged Kakashi's hand off, forcing the older man to straighten and take a step back when Naruto got up from the ground.

"You don't have to sound like the world's ending. We have a month to work on that and to make you more on your guard. I promise you that you'll be ready when it's time for the ANBU trials", the Copy-nin assured and cocked his head, managing to look awfully attractive in the process. Naruto's abs clenched from a sudden spike of lust, and he hurriedly backed up a little.

The hunger was sudden; a heat that settled like embers deep inside of him. It was as surprising as it was most unwanted. Naruto pushed back at the unwelcome stir in his groin, having decided that after Sasuke he'd had enough. Naruto didn't want to play with fire only to be burned again.

Besides, he didn't even know whether Kakashi was straight or not, there was no telling if the older man would ever feel the same for him. Better play it safe and forget about the troublesome feelings and be done with it.

"Okay", Naruto offered weakly in response, getting a cheery nod from Kakashi in return.

"That's the spirit. Now, why don't we sit down before we can go home and I'll tell you what I found out today?" Doing as told, Naruto went and sat down under the tree, the shade from the setting sun making him shiver as his body started to cool off from the hard work-out. He stretched his arms as Kakashi took place in front of him, folding long legs under him and rolled his shoulders to loosen the muscles in his neck and back.

Kakashi knew he was in great shape, but damn if he didn't feel all of his years more keenly after a spar like the one they'd had. He couldn't say that he had not been surprised when Naruto hadn't thrown himself into a spectacular tantrum once out of the genjutsu. No, he'd just blinked when Kakashi had turned him over from his stomach, looking a little dazed and mildly embarrassed. Once aware of Kakashi's eyes on him it was like flipping a switch, the pout had seemed as inured as the grumbling afterwards.

Kakashi was by no means stupid, yet these small slips in Naruto's personality kept confusing him. Who was the real Naruto; the goof-ball who'd complain all the way to his execution, or the more toned down, mellowed person that peeked through every so often?

_Talk about split personalities… _

However, that hardly mattered at the moment. Kakashi had already halfway made up his mind to find out whether Naruto was averse to a little fling or not; he didn't mind adding a few more objectives. Like how he wanted to find out what Naruto kept hiding, what he was so afraid to let others see and to know why he felt the need to cover himself with an invisible mask.

_Well, I'm a master of looking underneath the underneath. I'll just have to look harder._

"So, here's what I've observed throughout the day", Kakashi began "Your tracking and throwing skills are very good, I couldn't help you sharpen those even if I wanted to. Your taijutsu and ninjutsu are also above average, you only need to watch your balance a bit more."

Naruto nodded slowly, attention rapt as he drank in the sound of Kakashi's deep, smooth baritone.

"I will give you some chakra exercises to do, but with that said… I know that with your massive amount of chakra, the Kyuubi notwithstanding, you can't really refine the control you already have, only maintain it." Kakashi stopped to take a breath, bracing his forearms against his knees as he leaned forward a little bit.

"Regarding the genjutsu…" Naruto couldn't help the way he stiffened, hoping that Kakashi's evaluation wouldn't be too bad. "You suck at it." Well that hadn't really been what he'd expected, but okay. "I'm not going to lie to you; it's going to be a tight schedule trying to get you good enough to withstand even the milder ones in just a month, you're aware of that right?"

Naruto nodded forlornly, knowing the older man was dead-on. He knew he should've taken care of the genjutsu training earlier, nipped the problem in the bud so to speak, but after finally passing the jounin exam – after months of grueling training, it had just… slipped his mind.

For the first time that day Naruto felt lucky, was even inclined to feel grateful towards Tsunade for stranding him with Kakashi as his teacher – again. Kakashi had experience on his side; he was 13 years older than Naruto, had survived the Third war and was a master of jutsuts in general, what with his Sharingan and all.

The Copy-nin was the only person in Konoha, save Kurenai and Sasuke – and Naruto was not going to go down that road again – who was skilled enough in genjutsu to coach him through the preparation. The jinchüriki wasn't delusional however, it wouldn't be a walk in the park; he was fairly certain he'd be at the end of his rope, driven crazy by Kakashi and all his quirks and antics within two weeks. Naruto heaved a great sigh and slouched back against the tree, closing his eyes as the last rays of the sun shone right in his face.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're trying to make it sound easier than it's gonna be?" He didn't need to see Kakashi in order to know that the older man was smirking.

"That's because I am. Now how about we get started? That way you'll get home in a reasonable time… depending on how you define reasonable I guess."

Naruto's muscles groaned in protest when he got up to his feet, facing Kakashi with a tired sort of determination. He was almost too afraid to ask, but beat his vocal cords into submission and opened his mouth.

"What did you have in mind?"

Trepidation pooled in his stomach at the evil glint in Kakashi's eye. In that moment Naruto knew. Kakashi was the devil and Naruto had just sold his soul to him.

* * *

><p>It was closer to midnight when a very exhausted Naruto staggered up the steps to Sakura's apartment. As quietly as only a shinobi could, the blond managed to unlock the door and slip inside without disturbing his hostess, who was most likely asleep.<p>

The couch seemed like a dream in paradise when he'd removed his sandals and got into the dark lounge, beams of moonlight bathing the battered piece of furniture in a glow, and to Naruto's tired eyes it sparkled. The couch called to him, lured him to lie down on its soft cushions and just lose himself in blissful, Kakashi-free unconsciousness.

The appreciative groan from finally being allowed to relax and not think about anything remotely related to genjutsu was muffled by the pillow Naruto had left there in the morning. Right then and there, Naruto wouldn't care if Sasuke would storm in, declare himself ruler over the world and kidnap Naruto to keep as his slave. He was _that_ tired. He didn't even care enough to take off his clothes, instead lying fully clothed and feeling damn good while doing it.

"Fuckin' sadist", Naruto muttered, making an effort to roll over on his side but couldn't dredge up the energy to actually do it. His arms were numb, his back muscles screamed protested if he only thought about moving and his legs moaned in agony at the mere prospect of the coming morning.

Kakashi had really put him through his paces, and if Naruto hadn't been convinced before, he was now. The Copy-nin was Beelzebub in disguise and had risen from Hell to be Naruto's personal tormentor. He couldn't really come up with any better reason to warrant the torment that Kakashi had subjected him to.

When the Copy-nin had suggested to get started, Naruto had innocently nurtured the notion that they'd start out slow. It had taken the blond approximately five minutes to realize how very wrong and foolish that belief had been.

Kakashi had hidden himself, disguised his presence and location with different low level genjutsu and then attacked Naruto from whatever direction he'd fancied. Not only had he scared Naruto half to death every time he'd pounced, Naruto had also almost been killed! Who the hell throws kunai on a person so deep into an illusion he wouldn't even recognize his own hand? Kakashi, that's who, the crazy bastard!

And if that hadn't been enough, he'd also tagged the blond with a small chakra blocker when he wasn't aware, making Naruto unable to use too much chakra when he'd tried to break out of the trickeries. Kakashi's explanation to this?

"_You have to learn how to distinguish the significant sensation of an illusion being cast before we can move on. You can do that by feeling the changes in your own chakra. By blocking most of your flow, leaving you with a much smaller amount in your system, you should be able to discern it faster."_

"Yeah, by almost killing me about a dozen times", Naruto muttered into his pillow, barely able to keep his eyes open at that point. And as he was finally in the safety of his temporary home, Naruto answered the song from the sandman; lids closing over eyes whose sight were blurred and itchy.

A noise from the bathroom roused Naruto from the lethargic state he'd slipped into; deathly afraid that is was Kakashi coming back for more. The exhausted jinchüriki managed to pry one open and peer towards the source of the sound. What he saw made him forget all about aches, tiredness and Kakashi. Naruto jerked upright, sitting on his knees, eyes wide as saucers in a matter of a second while horror filled him.

You can't really blame him. I mean, who wouldn't be terrified by the sight of a stark naked Rock Lee – eyebrows and all – pink duster in one hand and a bottle of massage oil in the other? Lee seemed equally shocked and for a minute they both just stared at each other, faces wearing mirroring expressions of disturbed embarrassment.

"Uh… hey Lee", Naruto said at length, when he couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"H-hello to you too, Naruto-kun." Lee's smile was a little strained but at least he lowered the duster until it covered more… delicate parts than his chest. The awkward silence was back in full force, until Sakura clambered out from the bedroom, once again dressed in her… custom made nightie.

"Lee, what's the hold up? You now I don't-" She stopped in the middle of the sentence when she spotted the frozen Naruto.

"Oh-hey Naruto... err… this is-" she tried to explain but Naruto stopped her before she would say something that he really didn't want to hear or give him insight in something he really didn't want to know.

"I-Don't-Want-To-Know. Ever", he told her, making sure to emphasize every word. "I'll just… leave the two of you alone and we'll pretend this never happened. _Never."_

Sakura's cheeks colored, the pale skin almost the same shade as her pink hair. "I'm so sorry, Naruto. I totally forgot to tell you this morning and… well it's our two year anniversary tonight."

"You don't have to feel like that, Naruto-kun. We're only indulging in the flowery beauty that is the physical love between us and expressing our adoration for each other's youthful imagination!" Lee practically beamed, it was almost projectile-vomit inducing. Coupled with a duster-covered-almost naked-nice-guy pose and Naruto was ready to bolt through the wall and never return.

Sakura looked like she was about to blush herself to death while Naruto just gave Lee a deadpan stare, slowly making the necessary seals for a quick teleportation out of there.

"Yeah… youthful adoration, as it were. Great for you Lee and for Sakura too but I just remembered that I really have to be somewhere else. Like right now!"

"At midnight? C'mon Naruto don't be silly", Sakura interjected, propping her hands on her hips.

Naruto felt panic sink its claws in him. "No, no! You two just enjoy your-uh… whatever you were doing. I'llseeyouinthemorningbye!"Naruto yelled and vanished in a puff of smoke; leaving the two love-birds to their own… activities.

Naruto reappeared on a street a couple of blocks away, and it was blissfully empty. He shuddered at what he'd just seen and hoped that his brain would've chosen to forget all about it in the morning.

But what the hell was up with that duster? He couldn't help but think about that detail as he jammed his hands in his pockets and started walking, appreciating the stillness of the sleeping village around him. The night was peaceful; he only encountered the odd stray cat rummaging through some trash and some rats that scurried away into the shadows as he passed by.

His breath fogged ever so slightly in the cool air, winter was just around the corner and while it never snowed in Fire country, the temperature dropped low enough to coat the greenery in a thin cloak of frost and to frame the rivers and lakes with a fragile layer of ice.

Naruto had always liked that time of year, when the world seemed to slow down and pace slower, time floating towards a new spring unhurriedly. Snow and ice fascinated him for some reason; maybe it was because he couldn't really understand how water could turn into something so beautiful when frozen. Trying to make out the shapes of flakes and patterns in the ice could keep his attention for hours.

Without thinking about it, Naruto walked in the direction of training ground three, where he'd trained so often with team seven back in the days, and where the Memorial stone was erected. Darkness enclosed him the nearer he came to the training field and the further he got from the lights of the village. The moon guided his feet, though light hardly mattered when he could've walked the path blindfolded without taking a single step in the wrong direction.

Naruto wasn't thinking too closely about what he was going to do once at the field, he just wanted to reflect alone for a while, with no one there to interrupt him. However, his hopes turned to dust when he arrived at the clearing, only to find it occupied by the last person he wanted to see.

Sasuke turned around when he heard Naruto's footfalls, crimson eyes calmly watching as the blond stepped out from the shadows of the trees. The younger boy stopped in his tracks, blue eyes growing dull at the sight of his former lover.

It had been three days and Sasuke hadn't suddenly turned ugly, as Naruto had secretly hoped. No, the bastard had the nerve to stand there, looking like a fallen angel caressed by the moonlight, his Sharingan slowly fading into the soulless black Naruto loved so much. Naruto had no idea how long they stared at each other, he was only aware of the raw feeling in his chest, the painful throbbing in his heart and the desperate longing in his soul.

It wasn't fair. How could he still feel like this for Sasuke, when he at the same time hated his guts? No one would be happier than Naruto if he never had to see Sasuke again. Even as he told himself that, he knew it was a big, fat lie.

"Sasuke…" Naruto managed to choke out, when he couldn't take the strained silence any longer.

Sasuke nodded politely. "Naruto."

That was it. It went back to feeling suffocated by all the feelings building up inside, threatening to explode the more Naruto stared, the more he felt.

"So… what are you doing here?" Sasuke gave him the look that was reserved only for the utterly retarded. A pale hand enclosing his katana indicated elegantly with the tip of the sword at the wooden posts behind him.

"Training."

Really, Naruto had no idea what to say. It was surreal when thinking that it hadn't even been a week ago that he thought he could tell Sasuke anything, that he'd always be able to talk to the older boy. And now it was all ruined, thanks to said boy, who was looking at him like he expected something. Anger pushed back all other emotions Naruto may or may not have felt then, coming to the forefront with all the reasons why they weren't together anymore in tow.

Turning his back on Sasuke, Naruto was prepared to go without another word, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. The blond stiffened, his whole being radiating hostility and under that… thinly veiled anguish.

"Let… let go of me, Sasuke." Naruto had meant it to come out cold and blank, trying to shake off the hand that – like Kakashi's had done, seemed to burn his skin right through the fabric of his shirt and flak jacket. What Sasuke heard, however, was a broken plea, a voice pitched low and desolate from whatever emotions Naruto was feeling.

"Don't you think this has been going on for long enough?" Sasuke responded, curling long, pale fingers in the green fabric of Naruto's jacket when it felt like the blond wanted to shy away from his touch, from him. Wide, blue eyes turned to look at him, the usually vibrant color almost black in the dark of the night.

"Wha-what do you mean?"

Sasuke scowled. He didn't like it when he had to talk about things like this, but he realized that he'd let the blond have his way long enough.

"I mean, when will you stop being unreasonable and come home?" Stunned, Naruto turned his whole body to face Sasuke, glaring at the slightly taller boy, eyes glimmering in the faint moonlight.

"What do you mean with that? You heard me the other day. That place is not mine to call home anymore, and I'm most certainly not willing to stop "being unreasonable!"" Naruto took a quick step back, forcing Sasuke to drop his hand to his side. The last Uchiha responded by capturing Naruto in a hard embrace, holding him firmly in the arch of his arms. Naruto's initial reaction was to relax and lean in, to get closer to Sasuke.

But as Sasuke's face descended, when the pale raven leaned in for a kiss, Naruto's wits returned and he jerked his head back, thrashing to get out of the unwanted clasp.

"Let me go, damn you!" Naruto yelled, too occupied with his struggle to notice until it was too late and Sasuke's lips closed over his, silencing his cursing mouth in a brutal kiss. Sasuke jerked back with a pained hiss three seconds later, a drop of blood forming in the cut on his lower lip from where Naruto had bitten him.

"What the fuck, dobe?" Had it been any other time Naruto would've laughed at Sasuke's gob smacked expression, but as it wasn't, the blond seized his chance and broke out of the older boy's grip. He stumbled back, almost losing his balance. Sasuke made a move to reach out when Naruto's eyes stopped him.

"Don't", Naruto warned in a low voice, timbre filled of pained anguish. "Don't do that again. I don't want it. I don't want you", he spat heatedly, arms coming up as he wrapped them around his chest, in an attempt to shield himself from Sasuke.

"You're overreacting, Naruto. Why can't you see that the women are only a way for me to revive my clan? It's not a question about emotions. It's just biology, a fact that however much I want to be with you, you can't bear the children I need."

Sasuke's words tore at his heart, ripping chunks from it until Naruto felt so hollow he wanted nothing more than to tear it out completely.

"What about what I need then?" Naruto whispered, voice as heavy as his heart.

"What do you mean?"

"I needed you. Still do, to be frank, even though I don't want to. We could've had kids, Sasuke, we could've found a way… But like with everything else you just ignore me and what we had and go around my back and then you expect me to understand?" Slowly, Naruto backed up further from Sasuke, eyes shimmering from unshed tears and hurt keeping Sasuke's gaze trapped.

"I can't live like that. To never know what you're thinking of feeling… to do know that I'm not enough… it kills me, Sasuke." Naruto looked away, feeling so lonely and helpless he had no idea what to do.

"You are really serious then? You want us to break up?" Sasuke asked, his voice so blank and devoid of emotions that Naruto wanted to howl at him. Possibly hit him too.

"I am. This time it's no going back, Sasuke. You and me… we're over."

Sasuke had no time to reply before Naruto was gone in a puff of smoke, his signature so weak even the last Uchiha would've trouble tracking him. Sasuke stared at the spot where Naruto had stood, a confusing mix of emotions swirling behind his impassive façade. He was still for a long time, thinking hard about what Naruto had said. Sasuke clenched his jaw stubbornly as Naruto's last words echoed in his mind, black eyes bleeding to red when his anger stirred. He stared up over the canopies surrounding the field, the Hokage Mountain a big, blurry shape in the distance.

"Whatever you've told yourself dobe, we're far from over. Trust me on that…"

* * *

><p>A soft knock on the window disrupted Shikamaru in his sleep, and despite the desire to ignore consciousness, his brain was awake in a split second. He groaned. He couldn't be bothered to get up and find out who the hell it was. Anyone wanting something in the middle of the night wasn't worth the trouble of leaving his bed. The lazy Nara lay still, hoping that whoever it was would go away, if he didn't make any sound or movements at all. After the fourth knock Shikamaru grumbled and rose from his warm nest of blankets, dragging his reluctant body over to the window. He peered outside and was surprised to find Naruto's face staring back at him from the other side of the glass.<p>

Shikamaru's sleepy fingers fumbled with the hasp for a few seconds, before he could open the window with a small scrape of wood. "What do you want?"

"Sorry to wake you Shika but… do you mind if I crash here tonight?" Naruto sounded more subdued than Shikamaru had ever heard him before, and there was a distinct lack of cheery smiles. His mind worked fast, trying to sort out the puzzle laid before him in form of a miserable-looking blond. Wasn't he with Sasuke? What the hell was he doing outside at near half past one in the morning, and why had he come to him, of all people?

But… Naruto was a friend, so the lazy youth just heaved sigh and stepped back without a word; allowing Naruto to climb inside.

"Tanks man, I owe you one." Naruto tried to smile, but it was glaringly obvious to Shikamaru how fake it was, as it didn't reach Naruto's dull eyes.

"Tch, too troublesome to stand around with my window open", he muttered, and moved to take out a spare futon from the closet. Naruto helped Shikamaru to arrange a bed for his friend, who looked like he had been dragged through a thorn shrubbery after a very severe beat-up.

Nevertheless Shikamaru – being who he is, didn't ask any questions flat out. He sat down at the edge of the bed and gave Naruto a rather bored look, watching as Naruto took off all of his clothes sans his pants.

"I broke up with Sasuke, and I've been staying at Sakura's for a while. It ended with me seeing Lee in his birthday suit, holding a duster. I didn't exactly want to linger there", Naruto finally offered freely, if only to get Shikamaru and his perceptive eyes off his back.

Shikamaru had guessed as much as Naruto and Sasuke breaking up, but he could've done without the part about Lee naked. Really, he didn't even want to touch that thought with a ten foot pole. Shikamaru fell back on the bed with another sigh, closing his eyes as he was halfway asleep already.

"Che, just go to sleep. Talking about a naked Lee at this time of night is just too troublesome. And disturbing."

"Yeah you got that right", Naruto muttered, Shikamaru's soft snores oddly soothing to his ears as Naruto also drifted into a deep slumber.

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN: **I'd really love to know what you thought was the funnies part of this chapter. It's the only chapter in the whole story with this amount of humor, I'd really appreciate your opinions ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **I'm so sorry for the wait for this chapter. If not for an insane week with work up to my ears, two days of sickness. a sick kid and the fact that I added a third in length I would've had this out much earlier. I promise I'll try and be faster with the next one ^^

**Warnings: **Unbetaed. Sexual tension and a little angst. Oh and possible some spelling errors. I just don't have the energy to go over it one more time again :P

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_**  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

_Hone - make perfect or complete_

The sun was shining over Konoha from a clear blue sky. A gentle breeze wafted over the city, rustling through the trees, soft whispers of nature loud to those who chose to listen. Naruto was standing in the middle of the training field he and Kakashi had claimed as theirs, a few paces from the tree that promised wonderful shade from the heat.

The blond had his eyes closed, brows knitted in concentration as he waited. He was trying to pinpoint Kakashi's exact location via sounds and chakra only, but the wind blowing masked all movements the Copy-nin made and disturbed his focus.

Naruto exhaled explosively, trying to push all distracting noises away, extending his chakra further from his body. Invisible threads spread out around him, searching for his elusive prey's distinctive signature. Blue eyes snapped open when he felt a small, almost undetectable ripple in his chakra, so insignificant he'd missed it if he hadn't expected it and immediately stopped the flow of tendrils.

Naruto slammed his hands together half a second later and called upon his chakra again, pushing it outwards violently in an attempt of breaking the illusion Kakashi had cast. The world seemed to shimmer around him, and he couldn't hold back on a wide grin when he could actually feel the genjutsu break.

The wind stilled for a moment, giving him the opportunity he needed when he finally heard something that may have been a foot snapping a twig. Naruto felt his neck tingle with the feeling of being watched. He smirked a little; keeping his head turned so that Kakashi wouldn't see it and realize that Naruto had finally found him.

Slowly, keeping his motions unhurried and inconspicuous, Naruto removed a kunai from the holster around his left thigh, palming the cold steel as sweat beaded on his hairline. Naruto's body was poised and ready to strike, feeling like a live wire about to spark off as he waited for Kakashi to make his move.

Naruto caught the faint sound of a kunai whistling through the air, waiting until the last second and then turned on his heels, deflecting the projectile with a metallic clang of steel on steel that echoed around the area. He launched his own kunai at Kakashi, who was hiding behind some shrubbery. Naruto knew it wouldn't hit the mark; the Copy-nin had most likely already foreseen his counteractions and moved to another position.

Quite right, when Kakashi came out of the bushes seconds later, Naruto's kunai twirling around a finger, the older man regarded him with a lazy, heavy lidded eye.

"How did you know where to look?" Kakashi asked, sounding as they were discussing something trivial over a cup of tea. That attitude drove Naruto up the wall, he wanted more reactions damn it!

"There weren't any birdcalls from there. Out in the woods a quiet area like that usually indicates a predator in the vicinity. Or in this case, an anomaly where it should be none." Naruto shrugged, feeling quite pleased with his explanation. Kakashi palmed the knife spinning around his finger and walked up to the blond, returning the kunai to its owner.

"Correct. And you did a really good job at breaking my illusion too, you've really improved." Naruto tried not to look too happy by Kakashi's praise, didn't want to make it overly obvious how much Kakashi's opinion mattered to him.

"Yeah but… still not good enough", Naruto sighed, ungracefully flopping down on the ground. It was too hot to train in the middle of the day; the sun shone merciless down on them and all the exercise had the blond bathing in sweat. It was unusually hot for November; it had been decades since Konoha had last experienced a heat wave like this one.

"Now don't be like that", Kakashi chided cheerfully. "You've come far in a really short time. You're able to discover and break out of a low level illusion now, that's great progress."

As he said that, Kakashi unzipped his flak jacket, apparently the heat was bothering him too, and sat down beside Naruto with a lot more grace. Naruto glanced at the other man and in spite of his brain's protests he couldn't help it when his gaze drifted down Kakashi's neck. The strong jaw was clearly outlined under the fabric, as was the graceful line of his neck. Afraid of his own desire to lean in and peel the tight clothing away, to reach the skin underneath with his mouth, Naruto quickly dropped his eyes to his hands.

Naruto really didn't want for Kakashi to even catch a hint of his attraction for him. Sasuke's betrayal still weighed heavily on his heart, and it was too early to even think about tumbling into bed with another. The wounds were too fresh and Naruto had learned his lesson. He guarded his heart now; terrified of letting emotions get in the way of his goal. Naruto was resolute to concentrate on training and getting into ANBU only, everything else wasn't as important, what his body wanted notwithstanding.

"It sure is hot today", Kakashi sighed beside him "It's hard to believe its November already."

Naruto nodded vaguely in agreement, holding his tongue and maintaining the companionable silence. It was weird how at ease they felt around each other; Naruto couldn't remember ever feeling like this during their years together as a team. The calm and peaceful atmosphere was like ambrosia for his smarting heart and soul.

"What do you say about calling it a day?" Kakashi broke the stillness, turning to meet Naruto's eyes. "I don't know about you, but I don't really feel like keep training in this heat."

"You won't hear me complaining", Naruto agreed gratefully and looked away. If he met Kakashi's grey eye for an extended period of time, those things he didn't want to feel resurfaced. Naruto was content with their growing friendship, the rest were better left unexplored. For now. He didn't stop to think over how he'd phrased that, ignoring the signs all but blaring at him. What his body and brain wanted was two different things entirely, and he chose to disregard the latter in favor of the former.

While Naruto was lost in his thoughts, the Copy-nin had yet to turn his gaze from the blond, his eye trained on the other. A hunger was eating away at him, grew stronger the more he lingered. Sensing the intense scrutiny, the jinchüriki glanced at Kakashi, frowning in a nonverbal warning to the older man to back off.

Heading the threatening without any outward sign aside from a raised eyebrow, Kakashi obeyed and politely averted his gaze. He wasn't ashamed of what he felt, nor was he afraid of letting Naruto know it, but it had become clear pretty fast that the jinchüriki didn't exactly care for the attention.

Naruto rarely met the Copy-nin's gaze for long nowadays, always looking the other way with a faint blush painting his cheeks, always wearing a slightly uneasy expression on his face. If it hadn't been so obvious that Naruto felt at least tempted, or adorable that he was acting so coy, Kakashi may have felt inclined to be annoyed. But as he understood that Sasuke had done a real number on Naruto, he couldn't berate the younger man.

Though at the pace they were going, the silver-haired man was starting to think that it would take years before Naruto was ready to act on his feelings, something he didn't care for. Just because he wanted to sleep with Naruto, didn't mean he'd wait forever. Some days he seriously considered whether he should just cut his losses, forget all about romancing the jinchüriki and walk away.

Without Kakashi's conscious consent, his eye drifted back to regard the blond from beneath thick, black lashes and the notion died relatively quickly. Naruto was just so appealing to him all of a sudden, and frankly, Kakashi did feel a little disturbed by this unexpected obsession. Then again it wasn't like he could help it.

At their fifth day of training, probably tired of Kakashi's queries of why he was imposing on Sakura when he actually had a place of his own, Naruto had at last spilled the beans and mumbled that he and Sasuke was over. Kakashi had actually already been aware of that, hearing it from Sakura the morning Kakashi had shown up on her doorstep. He'd been looking for a blond that had fled the apartment just moments after getting there – and when he found out why from Naruto, damn… who could've blamed him? Sakura had then told him that Naruto had left Sasuke and was most likely at some other friend's place, sleeping.

It had taken some time, more than Kakashi had liked to be honest, to track his illusive student down, but he'd finally found him and Shikamaru snoring in tandem in the lazy nin's room. Kakashi still didn't see why they'd gotten so mad at him; he'd only thrown a flash bomb in there to wake them up, not like he'd tried to actually murder them in their sleep, as they claimed.

While the morning had started out a little strained the actual training had gone really well. Kakashi had just sat back and cast genjutsu after genjutsu, trying to teach Naruto how it felt when it happened. It had given the Copy-nin plenty of time to muse over the blond, trying to solve the puzzle he'd turned out to be.

Three days later the pieces finally slid in place, when Naruto had given him the answer without needing a single word. The key lay in his smiles. Now, to those who don't know Naruto they wouldn't see any bigger differences, but for a man as perceptive and intelligent as Kakashi, it was almost ridiculous how long it had taken him to figure it out. This was even more ludicrous as he prided himself of being a master of seeing beneath the underneath.

The revelation had come when they'd just finished lunch, sushi for once, instead of ramen, and as the two of them exited the restaurant, an unknown man had bumped into Naruto just outside the door. The man had thrown a sneer coupled with a dirty look, and then snarled, "Watch were you're going, demon!" at the blond before moving on. Whereas Kakashi had been sorely tempted to go after the man and teach him a thing or two about respect, Naruto had done nothing. Instead he'd just stood frozen with his head bowed, bangs spilling down and hiding his face from Kakashi's view.

Anger fading away in the face of Naruto's harsh reality, despite what he'd done for Konoha throughout the years, Kakashi had placed a soothing hand in the blond's shoulder, asking if he was all right. Naruto hadn't answered first, but then he'd lifted his head and given Kakashi a smile so glaringly false not even a blind could've mistaken the insincerity behind it, and assured the Copy-nin that yes, he was just fucking peachy.

Well, maybe not in those words, but that's the gist of it. Walking back to the training field, Kakashi had begun to connect the dots, and a small gust of wind could've felled him when he'd realized that he was a blind idiot for not seeing it earlier.

It had dawned on him that Naruto always smiled. And while he may have looked happy to the most, it was in reality a way to throw anyone off his back, a method to stop anyone to look too deep and see that the happy face was a farce.

There was a smile for every occasion, but when Kakashi examined more closely it wasn't hard to miss the way Naruto's blue eyes rarely lit up along with his face. They always stayed the same, blue as cool and calm as a still lake. Currents stirred under the surface but it rarely came forth, always hidden behind a mask of happiness.

Kakashi could only remember one or two times when Naruto's smile had been real, standing out in his memory now that he was aware of the variation. Whenever the blond felt really happy his mouth didn't split in a wide grin with lots of teeth, but instead just deepened at the corners, slightly curving his full lips. His eyes deepened from the usual sky blue to a cobalt shade, sparks of secret amusement dancing in their depths.

The Copy-nin had paid even closer attention after that little insight, learning more and more about the blond and come to understand that underneath Naruto's goofy exterior excited a different person, deeper and more complex than Kakashi had ever given Naruto credit for.

Fundamentally Naruto was the same as ever, but after two weeks of probing and coaxing the younger man to open up, Kakashi could now pride himself to know Naruto quite a deal better than he'd ever done as the blond's sensei.

Surprisingly orange wasn't really Naruto's favorite color, ramen was but one of his favorite dishes, he enjoyed reading and gardening as much as playing pranks and was smarter than he let on. Not that he was on par with Kakashi himself, or Nara Shikamaru, but certainly not the dense airhead who never stopped to think before acting as he'd let everyone believe.

When Kakashi had asked why, Naruto immediately clammed up and refused to say another word, snapping at the silver-haired man to mind his own business. However, referring to aforementioned intelligence, it hadn't taken Kakashi long to discern why. One only had to take a look at how the villagers treated Naruto to know why he'd felt the need to craft himself a new persona, to hide what he was really thinking and feeling behind a masquerade.

If Naruto didn't acknowledged the villagers hatred and acted like he didn't have a care in the world they left him more alone. The silver-tressed man had no idea why Naruto had started to drop his mask but was still very grateful for it. It would've smarted more than Kakashi wanted to acknowledge if he would've missed this opportunity to get closer to the blond. Kakashi wasn't the only one who'd taken notice of Naruto's change.

He'd heard Shikamaru mumble something about it, Sakura had been her usual, vocal self and Lee had just beamed and started to sprout his usual youth-crap. Naruto had so far seemed rather unperturbed by the whole thing, treating it like he hadn't changed at all, and his friends were thankfully tactful enough not to call the blond on it.

If anyone deserved real friends and to be able to be himself around them it was Naruto and fortunately he had an act for picking trustworthy people. Well, Sasuke was the only exception but neither Kakashi nor anyone else was brave enough to point that out. Naruto was slowly healing, he'd be over Sasuke soon enough. The Copy-nin just wished that the time would come sooner rather than later.

The older man wasn't afraid to accept his ever growing fascination towards Naruto; it wasn't like he wanted anything serious anyway. And while Kakashi maybe wasn't the best catch in the lake, so to speak, he was honest – nearly brutal to a fault sometimes. He'd never lie to Naruto and tell him the right things without meaning them, not when chance of him saying it in the first place were pretty slim.

Of course, being a hot-blooded male of thirty-two, Kakashi'd had his fair share of casual relationships throughout the years; he wasn't a monk for god's sake! Having lived the life of a shinobi, and a powerful one who belonged to the outmost elite at that, Kakashi had learned early to never take things for granted, like his life for example.

Temptations came and went; faces he could only dimly recollect afterwards floating in a lake of nonchalant remembrances in the back of his mind. Kakashi had never wanted any serious commitments, not even as Obito had almost forced himself behind the Copy-nin's defenses, shattering his carefully constructed shields with a few, selected words that still haunted him.

It had never been the question of love with Obito, only a deep friendship not unlike the one Naruto'd had with Sasuke before their hookup. Regarding his sensei… well Kakashi couldn't really deny a man that had taken care of him, looked out and cared for him like a little brother his love and eternal gratitude, could he now? And Rin… she'd been what Sakura was to Naruto; something like a sister once she'd gotten over her silly crush on him.

A faraway smile touched the older man's lips, their faces shining clear and bright before his mind's eye. It vanished a second later, chased away to be replaced by other images, how they'd looked in their final moment. Closing his eyes momentarily, Kakashi willed the memories to be gone, to disappear into the recesses of his mind for now. They would come back, they always did.

Kakashi was intimately familiar with the fear of letting people too close, always holding his peers, subordinates and superiors at an arm's length to avoid getting hurt in the future. Maybe it wasn't the best way to go about things but so far it had worked quite well, with a few exceptions.

Despite Kakashi's wishes to be left in peace and not get close to anyone his friend's held different opinions. Gai, Genma, Iruka... just to name a few were people who utterly refused to leave him alone. He was secretly pleased by their insistence, that way he wasn't left feeling totally alone in a sea of mere acquaintances.

Glancing over at the young man at his side, Kakashi stifled a sigh. And then there was Naruto. Even with his earlier conviction that he felt nothing for Naruto aside from blinding attraction, Kakashi had never been good at lying to himself.

He could even go as far and admit that yes, he was a little afraid of the intensity behind the attraction, the need to probe deeper and dig out every last secret the blond was hiding. The Copy-nin wanted to explore Naruto, bodily and mentally, map him out and know that there was no one else who knew the jinchüriki as well as Kakashi did.

That would have to wait, however, as he had more pressuring things to deal with in that moment. Like cool off, the heat was killing him!

"You know what… I'm gonna go for a swim. The weather is too hot not to", Kakashi decided out loud, and Naruto jumped at the sudden sound of the older man's voice and movements as Kakashi stood up.

"You're gonna go for a swim?" Naruto repeated when his heart rate had calmed down a little, giving Kakashi a dubious look.

"Sure am. I thought it might be a good idea considering the temperature today, and I just happen to know about this perfect, little lake..." Kakashi trailed off and looked down on the blond, his lone eye slowly sweeping over the younger man, enjoying the sight of Naruto's exposed neck and the hint of collarbones shown in the gap of his unbuttoned collar.

"Want to join me?" Okay so he hadn't really meant for his voice to turn into the husky purr usually reserved for when he was out to seduce someone, neither had he meant to turn the innocent question into an innuendo. Naruto's doubtful expression warped into suspicion, clearly wondering what the catch was.

"You're saying that you're going to swim and want me to join you… seriously?"

"Did I stutter?" Kakashi mocked and turned on his heels, walking towards the forest on the other side of the field. The blond shuffled to his feet and sprinted after the older man.

"No it's not like that it's just…" Naruto hesitated as he caught up with Kakashi and walked beside him. "I've barely seen you without your flak jacket before and now you want to undress to take a swim and um…" Naruto's voice faded away as the blond lowered his head and looked down on the ground. Kakashi stopped and looked at the crown of that unruly mop of sunshine hair.

"So you want to see me naked, is that it?" Naruto's head snapped up so fast Kakashi was surprised the blond didn't get a whiplash. Blue eyes stared incredulously at the older man, mouth agape as Naruto seemed to have troubles finding words. Kakashi smirked under his mask.

"Just kidding. I'm not planning to take anything else off than my vest, shirt, hitai-ate and sandals; I'll spare your delicate senses till another time."

Naruto sputtered indignantly, finally able to close his mouth. "I'm not delicate!"

Kakashi gave the other a smug look. "Mhm… sure. Whatever you say."

"Bastard", the blond grumbled as they entered the cool shade of the trees. Kakashi led the way through the small forest, humming faintly under his breath. Naruto glanced at the silver-haired man's back once in a while, not really sure what to think.

It was weird to suddenly have all these feelings for the older man, because Naruto had never really looked at the Copy-nin in that way. How was he supposed to behave when he was torn between his heart, body and mind at the same time?

On one hand he was still in love with Sasuke while on the other he felt immensely attracted to Kakashi both psychically and mentally. And as this struggle was raging war inside of him, his mind told him to screw feelings in general and just focus on everything but love and temptations. Which voice was he meant to pick when he was so conflicted?

Naruto eyed the broad back in front of him, his gaze lost and confused. Mouth thinning with determination, Naruto decided to push all thoughts aside and just enjoy a rare moment alone with Kakashi outside of training.

A few minutes later the forest opened up and they came upon the lake Kakashi had mentioned, the surface still save for small ripples created by the gentle breeze. The Copy-nin stopped and spread his arms wide, beaming back at the blond over his shoulder.

"Lo and behold!"

Naruto was impressed against his will. He knew Konoha and its surroundings like the back of his hand and he'd never stumbled over this little piece of stillness before.

"It looks great", he said, meaning every word. Trees lined the shoreline except for the spot where they stood, and tall, soft grass tickled their knees. Naruto had a hard time placing the feeling, but it almost felt like stepping inside of a church; the atmosphere was tranquil and a little mysterious. All the usual forest sounds seemed muted somehow, as if nature itself was afraid to disturb the quiet peace resting over the lake.

"C'mon and get undressed, I can almost feel the heatstroke breathing down my neck."

Naruto cracked a smile, not able to hold it back as the old man started to unzip his vest before they were even at the grassy shore. They were slightly turned from each other as they divested themselves of their clothes, but not enough to not sneak glances when the other wasn't watching.

Kakashi's eyes strayed more than he wanted to admit as he took off his hitai-ate and placed it on top of his sandals, jacket and shirt following soon after. He kept his pants on, surmising that it was maybe a bit too early to start parading around in his underwear just yet. Naruto followed the older man's lead and kept his pants on. That didn't mean that Kakashi wasn't thoroughly enjoying the sight of Naruto's lean, toned body; the smooth, tanned skin exposed to the flickering rays of sunlight.

His tongue ached from the longing to slide down that slender neck, to be able to taste the delicious looking nipples or trace the seal on the muscular plane of abdominal muscles. Sighing resignedly, Kakashi pushed all naughty thoughts out of his mind and walked out on the water. He used chakra to keep himself on the surface, very aware of the burning gaze trained on his back the whole time.

As soon as the older man moved Naruto stared at the broad back, admiring the way the muscles moved underneath Kakashi's skin. Scars littered the pale expanse, silvery lines that glimmered faintly in the light. Most looked old while some others were a light, pink color; obviously only recently healed.

The proof of Kakashi's livelihood as a shinobi didn't diminish the sheer beauty of his lanky, well-built frame one bit though. Standing there, bare foot on the water in the middle of the lake with pants clinging to narrow hips and the silver hair flopping down over the left part of his masked face, Kakashi looked ethereal. Naruto couldn't help but tilt his head appreciatively when Kakashi closed his eye and turned his face towards the sun, bathing in the light. He was like a creature of sin facing the sunlight for the first time, and he was utterly beautiful and Naruto was too conscious of that fact.

Shaking his head and chiding himself, Naruto joined the other man. They swam in the lukewarm water; appreciating the coolness on such a hot day and tried not to be too obvious when they sneaked glances at each other's bodies.

Naruto admitted that hair wet and slick against his skull only enhanced the Copy-nin's already great appeal, and he longed to get close enough to tangle his fingers in the messy strands. And Kakashi thought Naruto looked like something out of a wet dream whenever the younger man stood on the surface, small drops of water rolling down his smooth skin.

They got up after an hour or so, sitting down on the small slope besides their clothes and let the warm breeze dry their skin and pants. Words were not necessary, just enjoying the silence with the brief sounds of birds and insects around them was enough for the moment.

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you…" Kakashi suddenly said and propped himself up on his elbows. He'd flopped down on his back a while back, contently basking in the sun like a lazy cat. "Do you know if Iruka is back from his mission yet?"

Naruto lazily turned his head to face Kakashi and blinked a little. The training and swimming had made him feel a little sleepy; it took great effort to keep his eyes open.

"No… I don't think so", Naruto answered; voice deep from drowsiness. The husky quality sent shivers down the older man's spine. "Besides, we'd know the moment he was home."

Naruto chuckled weakly. "He's gonna freak once he…" Naruto's eyes suddenly widened and alarm filled the blue orbs. The youngster sat up as he had been burned and looked completely horrified.

"Oh shit!" he yelled and got on his feet in a blur of quick movements, hurriedly putting his clothes back on. Kakashi blinked owlishly at the unexpected rush.

"What's the matter, something wrong?" he asked and wondered if he should feel worried or not. Naruto stopped in his actions for a second to shoot him a glance.

"I completely forgot! Iruka's due home yesterday and if he hears about Sasuke before I get to him… Shit, shit, shit!" Naruto cursed. He could already imagine Sasuke as a corpse on the ground before him. Kakashi, having known Iruka for a number of years and could count himself as one of the chunin's closest friends, comprehended immediately.

Not that the silver-haired man could really blame Iruka; Naruto was his foster-son after all and the chunin was a lioness in disguise when it came to the blond. It was a common fact that if one was fond of their lives you did not mess with Naruto. Not if there was even a slight chance of Iruka finding out.

Sasuke, having broken Naruto's heart and all that, would now find himself in the same category where Iruka sorted deadly enemies, poorly written mission reports, Orochimaru, the general jounin population of Konoha and Icha Icha.

Kakashi swallowed hard as he realized that in order to have a chance with Naruto in the future he had to go through Iruka. To say that the mere thought didn't lift his spirits one bit would've been a grave understatement.

"Same place tomorrow?" Naruto asked and turned around when he was finished getting dressed. Kakashi smiled under his mask and gave a lazy wave. "Sure. Tell Iruka not to go on a killing spree, it'd only leave a mess for the rest of us to clean up."

"I don't really think that'd help", the blond muttered forlornly. Then he sent Kakashi a shy smile, blue eyes glimmering beneath thick lashes. "And thanks for the swim. I… really had fun."

"Anytime, Naruto", the Copy-nin replied with a lazy wave. His hand dropped when the blond took off towards Konoha at top speed, arms draped over one raised knee.

"Fuck… Iruka's gonna _kill_ me", he moaned and fell back on the cool grass, teeth gritting as if in agony when he could already feel murderous, brown eyes upon him.

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><p>It was just a door; an ordinary, brown, weather-beaten wooded door. It belonged to an equally ordinary one story house located in the west district of Konoha. So why was it so hard to raise his fist and knock? Naruto was quite sure it was because of the ominous aura surrounding said building and he just knew that the chunin living inside wasn't happy. At all.<p>

With a heavy sigh Naruto reluctantly posed his hand to knock, but was beaten to it when the door was yanked open. Face to face with a very pissed off looking Umino Iruka, chunin teacher at the Academy of Konoha, famous for his explosive temperament and protective nature towards those he considered precious, Naruto resisted the immediate urge to hunch his shoulders and brace for impact.

Without a word of greeting Iruka stepped to the side, letting Naruto walk past him into the house. The door closed with a soft click, but for Naruto it felt like he just had stepped inside the gates of Hell and the click was the sound of his doom.

Iruka walked around him and went into kitchen further down the narrow hallway, Naruto following closely behind. Once in the kitchen Iruka turned to face his foster-son and gave him a sweet smile. Naruto shuddered at that, knowing exactly what that smiled meant.

"Good that you decided to show up, Naruto", Iruka began; his brown eyes hard despite his curved mouth. "You can never guess who I met just when I got back yesterday."

Naruto opened his mouth to reply something intelligent. "Uh…" He couldn't help but swallow hard as he met cold, brown eyes.

"I bumped into Sakura and Lee and you can never guess what they told me." Naruto feel like five inches tall when subjected to Iruka's stare. "They told me that you and Sasuke broke up two weeks ago", the brunette carried on. "When I asked why… do you know what they told me?" Iruka was scary in that way. Even when he was raging mad he could still control his voice to the extent that one never knew the true depth of his feelings.

"Iruka..." Naruto tried to break in but faltered when the older man only gave him a _look._

"Why in the hell did you never notice that Sasuke was fucking around behind your back? Aren't you a shinobi?" Naruto cringed at the words.

_Here we go…_

"And the reason for aforementioned fucking around was that he wanted kids." Iruka had started circling him, making him feel like a prisoner under interrogation or an enemy about to be rather viciously killed. "Anything I'm forgetting? Something left out?"

"Iruka", Naruto tried again, only to fall silent when a blush slowly started up the chunin's neck, a clear indicator of a fast rising inner temperature.

"Oh yeah… let's not forget the best part shall we? You're _still _sleeping on Sakura's couch because _that bastard broke your fucking heart!"_

Finally Iruka's voice rose and he roared in Naruto's face and Naruto flinched, taking a step back. He knew Iruka wasn't mad at him, but after living with Iruka for a few years he was well aware of how the chunin worked. Sasuke was dead, the blond was sure of it. The brunette breathed heavily through his nose; his cheeks flushed and red from an angry blush, his brown eyes ardent with the flames of an offended father's rage.

Naruto was touched, really, he was, but Iruka could be so overprotective sometimes. He mother-henned Naruto frequently, always tried to protect the blond from the world and all the hurt in it. Naruto breathed deeply and took a step forward, reaching to put his hands on Iruka's shoulders.

"'Ru, please! You're making a bird out of a feather here and I'm really not that-" Clearly this was apparently the wrong thing to say. Iruka's blush deepened and the rage flared brighter in his eyes.

"It's great that you're finally here. I have all the details worked out, it's only the execution left", he snapped and turned from Naruto, easily breaking the blond's hold on him. He walked to the table and picked up several sheets of paper, seemingly calm and relaxed as he studied it. Naruto peered over his shoulder and his eyes widened at what he read.

"For fuck's sake, Iruka! You can't kill him!" Naruto yelled and ripped the sheets from Iruka's hands. The older man just glared at the blond and crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.

"I can't? Well then, you just watch me because the day you got involved with Sasuke that's what I promised him if he'd ever hurt you in any way. Come along now, it's time to go and get this over with. Now, what do you think will hurt most; the nutcracker or the dull senbons?" Iruka mumbled in an obvious rhetorical question "Oh, what am I thinking? I'll use both of course!"

Naruto stared at his foster-farther, torn between laughter and anger. Instead of screaming at the brunette like he really wanted to - he gently placed his hands on Iruka's shoulders and rubbed lightly. Feeling the tension slowly seep from the slightly shorter man's frame, Naruto was finally able to relax too.

"C'mon now, 'Ru", Naruto cooed in his ear. "You can't kill him 'cause that would make the bastard more significant than he is. I'm fine, I swear."

Iruka turned around; his brown eyes soft and kind and filled with concern. The blond gave a sigh of relief as he saw that his 'Ru was his usual, kind self again and not that murderous father he transformed into sometimes.

"I'm so sorry for your sake, Naruto. I know how much you loved him", the brunette said as he reached up to cradle scarred cheeks in his hands. Naruto nodded and smiled a little sadly.

"Yeah I really did… still do too I think", he answered and Iruka frowned.

"He doesn't deserve you. He never did and I'll be stone cold in my grave before he can lay his hands on you again", the chunin stated and turned to collect the papers.

"There goes five hours of planning. Oh well..." He shrugged and threw them in the trash. "Do you want to stay for dinner?" he asked over his shoulder. "And what have you been up to while I was away?"

Naruto grinned and sat down on a chair at the table, watching his guardian as the man took out the ingredients to make a simple meal. "Well it's not ramen but I guess it'll do." Iruka threw him a mock-stern glance. Naruto sighed and raked a hand through his hair when the older man turned back to chopping vegetables.

"I know you're going to like this but… I've decided to join ANBU", he announced. Iruka dropped the knife with a loud clatter and spun around to stare at the blond. A strange mix of joy, worry and pride fluttered over Iruka's face and Naruto frowned. Noticing the odd look Naruto gave him; the brunette smiled and waved his hands in front of him.

"You're right. I'm not happy to hear that but… if that's what you want I won't stop you but I will still worry about you."

"I never thought you wouldn't"

"Yeah well it's a parent's privilege to care about their kids when they're diving head first into danger."

Naruto blushed at this confession, a feeling of happiness and gratefulness washing over him. Iruka's approval was all that mattered to him, though Naruto would've perused his goal even if Iruka's response had been negative.

He was glad that Iruka did approve, however reluctant, and he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Lately Iruka had been assigned to many escort missions around Fire country and hadn't been around as much. For the first time Naruto realized how much he had missed Iruka and his sometimes smothering presence.

Iruka had been out of town on such a mission when Naruto broke up with the raven and hadn't known anything at all. Naruto frowned when he remembered what Iruka said about bumping into Sakura and Lee.

_Can she not be a gossip?_ He thought with annoyance. He'd wanted to inform his foster-father himself, but was at the same time quite thankful. It was always hard to tell Iruka things like that, just like his earlier reaction proved. Iruka could be very lethal if he wanted to.

"Getting into ANBU won't be a walk in the park", Iruka said in an echo of Tsunade. "Did you get someone to help you out with the preparations?" he asked and snapped Naruto out of his thoughts, only to be thrown into memories of pale skin that looked so soft, of hard flexing muscles and beautiful mismatched eyes. With force, because lust flooded his veins at the mere remembrance, Naruto pushed the images aside and concentrated on the conversation instead.

"Yeah…" Naruto sighed wearily. Iruka stopped with his movement as he was about to put some meat into the heated pan on the stove, and glanced at his foster-son. He noticed Naruto's dazed eyes and the absent expression.

"Oh? Who then?"

"Kakashi."

Iruka narrowed his eyes.

_Seems like a conversation with Wolf is in order. Soon._

"Well that's… generous of her. Kakashi is a busy person" Iruka commented after a lengthy pause. "What have he made you do?"

"He gave me some chakra exercises, a few pointers on my balance when performing katas and he's been trying to improve my resistant toward genjutsu." Naruto sighed again and scrubbed his face, blinking his eyes as to try and get rid of the itchy feeling in them.

"I must say though, that while he's clearly crazy and has very unorthodox methods they're simply brilliant. I've improved a lot on the genjutsu department. He also says I need to be more aware of my surroundings, and has made a habit of attacking me at any time of the day. God, I never know when he'll show up next; I'm constantly on my toes."

Iruka snorted sardonically. "Unorthodox. You don't even know half of it", he muttered grouchily, but a small smile tugged at his lips. If Kakashi kept it up Naruto would be ready in no time. Naruto didn't hear him, however, because he was dozing in his chair. A smile lifted the corners if his mouth as Naruto felt a pair of lips on his forehead and then, feeling secure and content for the first time in two weeks, he fell asleep.

Iruka chuckled at the sleeping blond when he stepped away from the blond and went back to the food. "Geez, captain, you didn't have to wear him out completely. Just be ready to answer a few of my questions later", the chunin mumbled to the frying pan.

At home, in his apartment, Kakashi sneezed and a shill ran down his spine. A feeling of dead came over him and he couldn't suppress a shudder. He was sure that he would get a visitor soon and if his intuition was right, and it always was, the conversation would _not_ be a pleasant one.

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN: **Comments on this people, I would really love that ^^ And yes, I mean you, you shadow lurkers. C'mon don't be shy, I don't bite. Much ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the wait. RL has been a real bitch to me these last couple of weeks with a workload like whoa! and a sick kid which he passed on to me. I've not felt like writing at all, but I at least managed to get this chapter done and I will start on the next one ASAP!

** Warnings:** So un-beta-ed it's not even funny. If you see any glaring mistakes you can always point them out. I'll go back and correct them tomorrow when I have the energy ^^ And this is the chapter where it's time for me to point out that **THIS IS A SLASH STORY WITH GUY LOVES GUY ACTION! If you haven't noticed by now and if it's not your cup of tea, step to the left and take your resentment with you! **

Now, please enjoy!

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

_Attraction - the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts_

_Long, elegant fingers slowly skimmed over damp skin, taut muscles quivering at the light touch. Two pinched one dusky nipple while others slid over his chest and abdomen, feathering down to trace the faint lines of the seal circling his navel._

_Naruto's head lolled back with a low, throaty groan; closing his eyes as smirking lips parted and the tip of an agile tongue barely wet the nipple left aroused into hardness by the fingers._

_"Look at me", the deep voice commanded in a husky whisper. He slowly complied, raising his head until his eyes met the mismatched pair staring back at him, red and grey glimmering with a feral hunger…_

A slight change in the air was all it took to yank Naruto out of the realm of dreams, mind alert and ready in a matter of seconds. He couldn't really put his finger on the feeling, but alarm bells blared in the back of his mind to move.

Rolling off of the bed with blurry movement, the blond crouched low on the floor beside it, the kunai kept under his pillow brandished and set to be used in his right hand.

Attentive eyes scanned the bedroom, watching for any signs of abnormality. When nobody came charging out of the adjoining bathroom or his closet, Naruto slowly relaxed. He put his hand down with a sigh, reaching up with the other to scratch the back of his head.

"I swear I'm gonna end up in an institution someday real soon", he muttered to himself as he got up from the floor with a shrug, casually tucking the kunai underneath the hem of his sweat pants at the small of his back. Moving from the bedroom the blond went out into the combined lounge and kitchen, the two spaces separated by a counter only. While he may have seen unperturbed on the outside he was busy searching his surroundings with the help of his chakra, on lookout for any foreign signatures.

After the naked!Lee incident – shudder at the thought – Naruto had decided that enough was enough and with Iruka's help he'd finally gotten a flat of his own. It was located not far from Iruka's house in the west district, in a calm and peaceful neighborhood. He'd instantly fallen in love with the balcony, which granted the blond a rather breathtaking view over one of the small streams floating through the village and a small patch of forest that bordered on the verge to one of the training grounds.

It had taken a day to gather some furniture and basic necessities for living, mostly gifts from his friends, but by end of it Naruto had been able to live in the small, two bedroom apartment. Despite the mishmash of furniture and the lonesome feelings he sometimes got, Naruto was happy with his new home. At least it was free from remembrances of Sasuke as the Uchiha had been left with all of Naruto's old stuff.

So far his most frequent visitors had been, not surprising, Iruka and Sakura. The others stopped by from time to time, the only one more frequent in his visits being Kakashi. _Never thought he'd come and knock on my door as soon as I'd moved in,_ Naruto mused as he opened the fridge's door.

Scanning the contents in it Naruto faked unawareness, ignoring the shadow lurking outside of the second window in the lounge, the one directly behind him. He could never really know where or when Kakashi would strike at him, but had quickly learned the lesson of being observant. It had been a choice between adapting fast or going mental in the matter of two weeks. It was a good thing that Naruto had always been a fast learner, in his own way.

Many mornings, evening, afternoons and nights filled with ambushes of flying kunais and shurikens had made him almost over sensitive of his surroundings to the point where he never really stopped being it. He always kept one ear or eye open; never relaxed fully if not one hundred percent certain that Kakashi was not in the immediate vicinity. It had also honed his ability to sense chakra to the max, granting him the ability to detect it even while suppressed. Then again, the jinchüriki had always been more sensitive when it came to other peoples' signatures, thanks to the Kyuubi.

He'd been forced to learn how to sleep light lest he'd wake up as Kakashi's personal pincushion, but after nearly four weeks he was now used to it and still woke up feeling refreshed and rested. Always on the guard had other perks too, which Konohamaru had discovered one sunny afternoon.

Trying to ambush a jumpy elite jounin had landed the poor teen in the hospital for three days, thanks to Naruto's quick and vicious response to the attack. Naruto smirked. That'd teach the brat to be a little more careful in the future.

Finding nothing of interest in the fridge Naruto straightened and shut the door with a muted thump, and in the next second the kunai that'd rested against his skin was hurled out of the window behind him.

The amused chuckle told Naruto all he needed to know. Kakashi hadn't expected the hurled projectile but had still most likely caught it. The blond turned and leaned back against the counter, a small smile curving his mouth as he waited for the Copy-nin to emerge from his hiding spot.

The weeks of grueling training hadn't been all that bad, really. Without truly thinking about it Naruto had dropped the goofy mask more as each day passed and his friends had eventually picked up.

After the initial confusion it didn't take long for them to shrug, accept the added depth to his personality and move on as it had always been out in the open. Tsunade, for one, had been appreciative of him dropping the act, looking forward to the moment with smug enjoyment when she could rub it in the council members' faces.

They had been vocal in their protests against Naruto trying out for ANBU, stating that it was a risk they couldn't let him take. Tsunade shot them all down, stating the truth when she told them that they had no saying in what she allowed the shinobi of Konoha to do.

But the biggest perk was that Naruto had gotten to see completely new sides to his sensei, sides that appealed to him greatly. The blond, who'd always been very private and protective of his thoughts and feelings, had responded to Kakashi's subtle questions. He'd told the older man many things he'd never voiced out loud before, some things he'd ever even told Sasuke.

The only downside was Kakashi's own reluctance to tell anything about his own life, his past in particular. This only served to fuel the jinchüriki's desire to know more, to get closer to Kakashi as his heart waged war against his brain; one telling him to go for it while the other rooted to forget about it and leave all things considering love and desire alone.

Pushing all thoughts away, Naruto's smile widened as the top of Kakashi's messy head came into view, followed by his face and body as the older man jumped up to crouch on the narrow window sill. He was spinning the kunai around a finger, the smirk on his face reflected in his grey eye. Naruto opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again and a grin wide enough to split his face if not for his ears took over as he spotted the small tear in the flak vest, on Kakashi's right shoulder.

"Getting closer", the Copy-nin smiled and flicked the kunai at Naruto, who caught it and placed it on the counter behind him. "But still a little longer to go. I do condone on your miss though as you got out of your bed faster than last week."

"Anyone trained by you would be after four weeks of the things you've pulled. That or in a nut-house ", Naruto answered and turned back to the fridge, waving at the older man as an invite.

"Take a seat, you want breakfast right?" he said without looking back, taking Kakashi noncommittal hum as affirmation. He decided to make a simple meal of steamed rice, broiled mackerel and tamagoyaki.* It had become a habit whenever the Copy-nin attacked in the mornings that they ate breakfast before they started the day, though usually they just ate out.

"Sorry for intruding", Kakashi said and sat down at the small table; chin resting on his fist as he indulged in a newly developed hobby: Naruto-ogling. The younger man always slept without a shirt, unknowingly making Kakashi incredibly happy every morning he was there. Kakashi would get an eyeful and gawk the best he could, thoroughly enjoying the view of smooth, tanned skin and a slim, muscled physique. He always averted his eyes when Naruto turned around, knowing he'd only make Naruto uncomfortable if caught staring.

Over the weeks spending so much time together his attraction for the blond only grew stronger. And since Naruto showed new sides of him every day and became more open than ever, Kakashi's emotions had avalanched. Nights were filled with visions of that golden body stretched out on Kakashi's bed, the skin and hair glowing against his dark blue sheets.

Naruto sneezed and Kakashi was jarred out of his fantasies. The grey eye blinked and looked the other way when Naruto turned around, two plates piled with deliciously smelling food in his hands. He smiled at Kakashi as he set them down on the table and the Copy-nin was glad to notice that it was reflected in blue eyes too.

Naruto had been low and sad for almost all of their time training, but just over the last few days his smiles had returned, as had the mischievous glint in his gaze. Kakashi was sending a silent prayer up the heavens in thanks, hoping that Naruto was finally starting to get over the last Uchiha.

Naruto, totally oblivious to the thoughts Kakashi was entertaining, took his seat opposite the older man, meeting his only visible eye with another smile. "Dig in, I wanna get started with the training already!"

_His eyes are sparkling today,_ Kakashi noted distractedly, wanting to drown in the blue orbs smiling at him. Without missing a beat, despite his wayward thoughts, he delivered his reply.

"You're not gonna get anything done if you have to stop and puke after thirty minutes."

"I'm not gonna puke", he told the older man indignantly. Kakashi shrugged, as if to say "Whatever" and reached for the chopsticks Naruto had placed on the side of the plate. Naruto politely turned his gaze away, keeping it locked on his own plate of food and giving Kakashi a false semblance of privacy.

Well aware that the older man would inhale his food when he wasn't looking, Naruto had, without saying a word, restrained his desire to catch a glimpse of the Copy-nin's elusive face some week ago. Kakashi had never said anything about the courtesy either, but the blond could still tell that the silver-haired man was pleased none the less.

They ate in peaceful silence, secretly reveling in the other's company each and every morning. Naruto risked a glance when Kakashi stilled, breath speeding up and heart hammering when he caught a quick glimpse of the bridge of the Copy-nin's nose, as Kakashi pulled his mask back up in place.

"The trial's in two days", Kakashi said blandly without looking at Naruto, neatly placing the chopsticks on the plate's side again. "I can't really make you more ready, so I thought we'd just relax and do some light exercises today."

"Uh huh", Naruto nodded absently, inadvertently recalling the dream he had been having before, the memories stirred by Kakashi's deep, smooth voice. Embarrassment struck and a mix of shame and annoyance with a small hint of guilt blended into it.

What was the deal about all the sex dreams lately? He could, after four weeks of a slow healing that was still in progress, admit that he was a little attracted to the Copy-nin. Okay, that was a lie. He was very attracted. But as he acknowledged this the annoyance he felt at himself grew. He couldn't figure out the reasons as to why he felt this way to being with. They fled him and led his thoughts around on a merry chase, confusing him and leaving him wondering.

Why hadn't he felt like this before? Where had the feelings originated from and what had kindled them? Naruto had known Kakashi for six years already and there had never been any indication that he'd felt even remotely interested before four weeks ago.

And now, when the unknown seed had been planted and stared to grow against his will, Naruto couldn't get the damned man out of his head. The jinchüriki wanted to lick his way down Kakashi's toned, scar-littered chest. He ached to dig his fingers into the unruly mane of silver hair and rake the digits through the strands, longed to find out whether the sterling strands were as soft as Naruto suspected they were.

Naruto knew very well that attraction wasn't everything. He wasn't even sure exactly what he wanted from the other man besides to satisfy his physical needs. That fact, for it was indeed a fact by now, only bred more questions.

What about the age difference? Between them lay thirteen years; a time where Kakashi had lived his life and experienced so many things before Naruto hadn't been more than a twinkle in his parent's eyes.

Their pasts? Kakashi knew his as much as anyone besides Iruka could, but what about Kakashi's own? The few times Naruto had tried to ask about it the older man had diverged his attentions, steering the conversations in another direction up till the point where Naruto just left it alone and never bothered to ask again.

And then there was Sasuke. Naruto frowned, irritated where his mind was leading him. The last Uchiha hadn't bothered him since the last time, but the blond doubted – strongly – that Sasuke had given up. He was most likely biding his time, waiting for the right moment to catch Naruto off guard again.

_Damn possessive bastard,_ Naruto thought venomously and stabbed a piece of egg with a chopstick. The training had been hard enough with all of Kakashi's surprise attacks, but the feeling of treading as on eggshells in fear of when Sasuke would show up the next time had added an additional layer of stress on Naruto.

Naruto didn't care for Sasuke to show up again so soon. Meeting him again was unavoidable, an eventual happening that would come whether Naruto liked it or not. But Naruto's heart had finally begun to heal, slowly but surely the gaping wounds had scabbarded over and were mending.

It would be so like the selfish bastard to waltz right back into his life and ruin all of that, to shatter Naruto's hard earned peace of mind with one, careless move. That was another thing, aside from his confused feelings regarding Kakashi, which Naruto didn't understand.

Sasuke had never told him that he loved Naruto, only given small signs of affection and the rare smile whenever Naruto had asked him flat out. Why insist that he come home again? Oh, he'd never get anywhere turning it over and over.

Sighing at himself Naruto raised his head. He found the Copy-nin studying him intently and blush started up his neck. The blond refused to avert his eyes, stubbornly meeting Kakashi's steady gaze head on.

Kakashi smiled under his mask, though not so much that anyone could tell. Unconsciously his eyes dropped a little, focusing on pink, slightly moist lips from where Naruto had licked them not even a minute ago.

The urge to pull down the mask and steal a kiss when Naruto would be too surprised to react flirted with him; the desire to just do something almost too big to overcome . With inhuman effort the Copy-nin ripped his gaze away.

"Let's clean up and head to training ground fifteen, I think it's vacant today", he said and rose from the chair; leaving Naruto to stare at his back in stupor Did… he just stare at my lips? Naruto shrieked in his head, the blush spreading to encompass his whole face and the tips of his ears. The thought of being kissed by Kakashi was more than tempting; Naruto could swear his lips throbbed and a warm feeling jolted through his lower belly.

Shaking the lustful fantasies away, Naruto joined the older man and between them the remains of their meal was quickly cleaned up. The blond excused himself and went into the bedroom to dress once they were done, leaving the Copy-nin to wait in the lounge.

Playing with the thought of peeking, but deciding not to, Kakashi absentmindedly took out his book. He kept his eyes on the page but his attention elsewhere. Half of the times when Kakashi walked around with Icha Icha in his hands he wasn't really reading it.

Looking at people who thought they weren't watched had proved useful to him on more than one occasion, and Icha Icha had attested to be the perfect cover to do so in peace. When Naruto returned, decked out in his jounin uniform, they teleported to the training field with a shared nod. Kakashi arrived one second before the blond, and when the smoke cleared and he got a good look at the field his eyes widened with horror.

"Crap!" Kakashi hissed and turned to Naruto. "Let's get the hell out of here before…"

"MY ETERNAL RIVAL! HOW PLEASANT TO SEE YOU THIS GLORIOUSLY YOUTHFUL MORNING!" a loud voice boomed before Kakashi had the chance to finish. Naruto had a hard time to hide his amusement as Kakashi's shoulders slumped and he reluctantly turned to greet Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast. Gai's smile was as blinding as usual, as was the green spandex suit and orange legwarmers.

"Gai", Kakashi greeted, the fatigued lilt lured Naruto to snigger. _Why is Karma such a bitch?_ Kakashi wondered. As if longing for the blond all the time wasn't enough, now he was forced to meet his self-proclaimed rival with all the weirdness and challenges.

Maito Gai seemed to almost prance up to them, stopping two inches from the Copy-nin. Naruto could see that the silver-haired man tried to lean back slightly, probably to avoid getting deaf as Gai shouted,

"YOU ARRIVED AT THE MOST SPLENDID TIME, MY FRIEND! I HAVE ONCE AGAIN THOUGHT UP A CHALLENGE FOR US!" Naruto cringed. Did the man ever lower his voice? Kakashi just gave the green clad man a flat look, trying his best to appear bored out of his skull.

"Oh? Haven't you run out of ideas already?"

The bulky, green-clad man looked affronted. "NEVER! Being surrounded by people, brimming with blossoming, youthful vitality such as yourself and young Uzumaki here, supplies my mind with an eternal stream of inspiration!" Naruto, and he was quite sure he wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last one, wondered how Kakashi had ever ended up as a friend to Gai. Knowing what the youthful-sprouting man was like, the blond would've guessed that Gai had simply decided that they would be friends and Kakashi hadn't gotten a say in it.

"… great", Kakashi said without much enthusiasm, right hand twitching from longing to grab his trusted book and use it as a shield against Gai. _Better get this over with…_ Kakashi decided instead and opened his mouth.

"So what are you proposing then?"

"It took me many hours thinking this up, and if I lose I will run one hundred laps around Konoha naked!"

Kakashi sighed and almost, _almost_ reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Point please, Gai,"

"Whoever manages to steal a kiss before the clock strikes ten will win and be declared the victor!" the black-haired man professed with flourish, teeth flashing blindingly as he gave them his good-guy-pose.

Kakashi almost dropped the book he never even knew he'd taken out its usual place, and Naruto gaped. They both stared at Gai, who beamed, but the slightly wicked gleam in his eyes communicated silently with the Copy-nin. Comprehension dawned in the single, grey eye and a small, almost imperceptible nod told the Green beast that Kakashi had read the message loud and clear.

"All right, I accept", the silver-haired man said at length, smirking under his mask as Gai immediately boomed,

"Excellent! I knew that you would not let me down, my youthful friend!" Gai beamed at Kakashi. Naruto scowled. He didn't think that Kakashi would actually go along with the spandex clad man's ridiculous challenge, never mind the fact that he was supposed to kiss someone. No, wait. Flaxen brows knitted above troubled, blue eyes. The thought of Kakashi actually pulling his mask down and kiss someone that wasn't him…

The jealousy sweeping through him was as swift as it was unexpected. A sudden, pricking feeling of being watched alerted Naruto just as a hand landed on his shoulder and he was spun around and was greeted with a smug, grey eye glinting mischievously at him. The blond stood firm even as his brain screamed to him to back away when Kakashi thoroughly invaded his personal space.

Naruto swallowed hard, dread and reluctant excitement pooling in his gut. "Kakashi…"

"Don't tell me you actually want Gai to win?" Kakashi asked, right brow arched in a way that could only be described as chidingly. Naruto opened his mouth but before he'd even gotten one word out in protest, Kakashi had yanked his mask down and a pair of lips was firmly planted atop of the blond's, effectively shutting him up.

_And I didn't even get a glimpse of his face…_

Naruto's petulant thoughts stopped in their tracks when a tongue swept over his lower lip. Azure eyes slipped shut of their own accord and the last urges to protest, that screamed in the back of his head were drowned by the little moan that escaped his throat.

Kakashi, at hearing this, put an arm around Naruto's waist as his hand slid down from Naruto's shoulder to stop in the middle of his back. The Copy-nin pressed Naruto closer to him and deepened the kiss. Naruto complied with a muffled groan, and granted the slick tongue tapping against his closed lips entry without much thought.

Kakashi quickly plunged deep inside the blond's mouth, reveling in the sweet taste. He held back on the moan building in the back of his throat though, reined in the desire to let his hands roam and get a real feel of Naruto's body.

Their tongues meshed together, mouths trying to devour the other as the desire they both had restrained for so long slipped a little from their control. Kakashi did his best to avoid the haze of pleasure trying to pull him in, while Naruto was already drowning in his own, volatile reactions to a simple kiss. He should've known that nothing about kissing Kakashi would be simple.

The world was turning white around the edges, fireworks of colors erupting on the back of his lids and Naruto was barely cognizant enough to a sound that disturbed the most perfect moment in a long time. The blond dimly realized that it must've been Gai coughing tactfully, telling them that he was still there and watching.

The man whose mouth did its best to devour his, made an annoyed sound and pulled away, the hand on Naruto's back reluctantly slipping away with a lingering caress. And Naruto, he cursed himself for his stupidity later, kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, unknowingly giving Kakashi plenty of time to snap his mask in place without Naruto being the wiser.

The jinchüriki feared to open his and meet Kakashi's, afraid that the longing coursing through his veins would be visible in his eyes. After a kiss like that he could no longer deny that he wanted the older man, more than he'd wanted anything for a long time. Not even Sasuke had had this effect on him and it scared the living daylights out of Naruto.

Kakashi was going through something similar, but even as the fear was among all of the feelings surging through him at the moment, it wasn't as pronounced in him as it was in the younger man. He Copy-nin wasn't really troubled about what he was feeling, only the intensity of it. Even now, just looking at Naruto where he stood as rooted to the ground with his eyes closed, wreaked havoc with the slipping restrain on his control.

Gai coughed again, something that could only be described as a smirk on his face as Kakashi turned to regard him with amusement dancing in his visible eye. They shared a silent moment of understanding, faces going blank when Naruto finally seemed to return to the land of the living and opened his eyes.

"It looks like I lose again… oh well", Gai said with a casual shrug and flashed them a wide smile; ever the good-natured looser. Naruto had no way in hell to stop the blush starting up his neck, and quickly looked down on the ground – seemingly engrossed with the grass under his feet.

"What's the score then?" Kakashi asked, sounding as poised and cool as ever. Naruto's head snapped up at that, eyes narrowed at the silver-haired man. Was it really too much to ask for at least some reaction? Naruto felt as if a rug had been pulled out from under his feet, had it not been the same for Kakashi? Had the hunger, which Naruto had sensed as they kissed, been a mere pretense?

The other jounin didn't pay much attention to the pissed of blond, but instead talked to each other as Naruto wasn't even there to begin with. And didn't that sting even more than Kakashi's unruffled look and behavior.

"It is now 40 to 39, but I am confident that next time my youthful vigor will outshine yours!" Gai announced. And then he began to undress. Kakashi paled under his mask and Naruto could feel the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. They both took a step back simultaneously.

"Gai… what are you doing?" Kakashi wearily asked.

"And _why?_" Naruto interjected, a tan hand reaching out to grab Kakashi's sleeve, like a child seeking comfort in the face of a great fear would do.

Konoha's self-proclaimed Green Beast looked up at them; surprise written all over his face.

"Why, I am taking my clothes off!" This was directed at Kakashi. "I did promise to run 100 laps around Konoha naked and I am a man of my word!" he then told Naruto. As Gai proceeded to strip Naruto's eyes were wide as saucers.

_First Lee and now Gai?_

"Oh hell no", the blond heard Kakashi mutter and before Naruto knew it an arm latched itself around his waist. The next second Kakashi teleported and they disappeared in a puff of smoke. They reappeared just in front of the main gates of Konoha, leaving Gai behind at the other side of the village.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked as the Copy-nin walked in front of him. He gave the guards at the gate an absent nod and they just gave distracted waves in return; too occupied with the card game they had going on to ask them why they wanted to go outside. Naruto shook his head in disappointment. He'd have to fix attitudes like that once he was Hokage.

"Anywhere as long as it's really far away from Gai", Kakashi said over his shoulder. Naruto couldn't have agreed more. The sight of Gai running around naked wasn't something he even wanted to subject his greatest enemy to. He trailed after the silver-haired man as Kakashi took right and left the road, venturing into the deep forest surrounding them on both sides.

They walked in silence in the canopies' shadows; the dimmed sunlight shining down creating intricate patterns of shade and light on the ground. Naruto kept his gaze locked on Kakashi broad back, taking what little time he had to sort some of his pressing thoughts out. Why had Kakashi accepted Gai's challenge without even a hint of objection?

And maybe more important, why had he chosen Naruto? Kakashi had never showed any interest of that kind before. Had he only kissed Naruto because of the challenge or had there been another motive behind? Did he feel something beyond the attraction Naruto already knew Kakashi harbored towards him? How deep was it? How serious? And for how long would he stay before he'd decided he'd fooled around enough and left Naruto to piece his heart together again?

However much Naruto was drawn to the older man logic stopped his heart and brain both every time he felt inclined to perhaps act on it. There was so many reasons why hooking up with Kakashi were a bad idea.

One: Naruto wasn't over Sasuke yet.

Two: His heart had barely begun to heal, some wounds were even bleeding still.

Three: In two days Naruto would take the trail and, if God willing, join ANBU. He would be busier than ever – that hardly promoted a new, budding relationship.

So there he had it. Naruto sighed deeply and reached up to rub his temples. He was getting a headache thinking about it, and he was still going nowhere with his musings. He'd never been this indecisive; why couldn't he just make up his damned mind already?

_Because you're a mess and don't know if it's the right thing to jump Kakashi or not right now_, his brain supplied.

Resisting the urge to scream out his frustration, Naruto pushed all things considering Kakashi, emotions and anything related to his heart deep into the back of his mind. He could contemplate more later, when he was at home in his bed without the chance of interruption.

During the walk and deep in his own considerations, Naruto unconsciously kept one eye and ear on the surroundings. Kakashi's training had been diligent, the insanity coming with it notwithstanding. It didn't take long before they walked out into one of the many, small clearings that seemed to litter the vast forests in the Fire country. This one was on top of a small hill, the south, steeper side of it empty of trees which gave them a beautiful view of the forest stretching out beneath them.

Kakashi stopped just before a small creek trickling out from the shadows of the trees and cascading merrily down the hill; small gatherings of water formed here and there on the uneven ground. He turned to Naruto, face as serious and calm as always when they trained.

Naruto had never gotten used to Kakashi's rapid personality changes, not even back when they'd been team Seven with Sasuke and Sakura. It was too confusing. One minute Kakashi was smiling, joking and making perverted remarks or just reading his damned porn, and in the next moment he was a totally different person, all seriousness and radiating a lethal confidence. Naruto found this aspect of his former sensei so intriguing, and nowadays it only fueled the already burning desire he nurtured towards the Copy-nin.

"All right, this is far enough. I want you to stand there, in the middle of the largest pool. "Kakashi pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. Naruto craned his neck and looked behind him. Halfway down the hill the ground leveled out some, leaving the small creak to form a larger gathering.

"While you're keeping yourself on the surface with chakra, I'm going to use a C-level genjutsu while I throw things at you. You're not allowed to break the flow of chakra to your feet and I also want you to dodge only the things that could kill you. If you fail we start over again until you can manage for at least thirty minutes or break out of the genjutsu without sinking through the surface of the pool."

Naruto's gob-smacked expression nearly had Kakashi laughing.

"…I thought you said we'd only do some lighter exercises today."

Kakashi gave Naruto his most innocent face. "This _is _light exercise."

Naruto grumbled something under his breath as he stalked past Kakashi, movements jerky and agitated. The Copy-nin held back another laugh, settling for gathering a small pile of rocks and twigs at his feet instead as Naruto got into position.

Kakashi took a moment to revel in the sight of the jinchüriki bathing in sunlight; the blond hair shining like a halo around his head. How Naruto's splendor had evaded his sight for so long, the Copy-nin couldn't figure out. But as he was aware of it now it would take a lot to make Kakashi look the other way again.

The image of Sasuke surfaced in his mind and Kakashi bit down around a low growl. The last Uchiha was out of the picture, he'd made his choice and Kakashi would be damned before he saw Naruto going back to him… or going to anyone else for that matter. The mere thought of Naruto with someone that was not him, had Kakashi's blood heating from jealous possessiveness.

"All right, I'm ready!" Naruto yelled and Kakashi was ripped from his minds recessed. Shaking his head at himself, the Copy-nin made a couple of hand seals and Naruto was trapped in his illusion.

Kakashi had to admit, quite some time later, that he usually didn't have as much fun training as when with Naruto. The blond yelled, kicked, dodged, blocked and generally just looked like a deranged dancer tripping on something highly illegal. The genjutsu was not a hard one, if not counting the force it took to break out of it. It made the one trapped believe he was standing in a pool of quicksand, sinking an inch every time you moved.

Naruto was doing a good job keeping himself afloat, a steady stream of chakra pumping out of his feet the whole time. Kakashi chuckled quietly to himself as he hurled another fist of stones, twigs and the odd kunai at Naruto, wincing as Naruto indeed did block the knife but totally missed the rock pelting him between the eyes.

"You fucking bastard! You did that on purpose!" Naruto bellowed angrily, turning unseeing eyes in the Copy-nin's general direction. Kakashi shook his head, chuckling again. If Naruto thought that had been of purpose, boy was he in for a surprise…

Hours later, as the sun balanced on the edge of the horizon and the night began to approach with a darkening in the east, Kakashi finally let Naruto out of the illusion. Panting and wheezing for air, Naruto staggered from the pool, not caring that the water soaked him up to the middle of his thighs.

The blond collapsed beside it, lying on his back and staring up at the rapidly darkening sky and tried to catch his breath. Kakashi's face poked into his visual field, both eyes now exposed and curved into happy crescents.

"Good job", Kakashi offered in a disgustingly cheerful tone. "I have no doubts you'll pass the trial with flying colors."

"G-great", Naruto puffed out "I can't wait." He moaned when Kakashi bent down and grabbed his arms, gently helping Naruto to sit upright.

"You did very well, Naruto." Naruto slowly turned his head towards the older man, face lit up by a breathtakingly, beautiful smile and Kakashi's heart jerked a little at the sight of it. Warmth filled him, the sincere smile and the happy, sparkling blue eyes conveying more than words could ever hope to.

"It's all thanks to you."

Kakashi snorted and turned to face the sky as he sat down beside the blond, pulling his hitai-ate back over his closed left eye. "You know, bashful isn't really your thing", the older man said. "It's all your own effort and we both know it."

Their gazes met and the older jounin saw a flash of something in Naruto's eyes, but before he could interpret it, it was gone.

"Okay. I'll stop being bashful then", the blond grinned even as a small blush bloomed on his cheeks, tinting the scarred skin a lovely pink hue that made Kakashi want to kiss him senseless. The pure yearning surging through him in that moment was so strong; Kakashi had to exert a big amount of self-control not to pounce.

"Good." Kakashi settled with that simple response, though the timbre was low and sensual. It sent a shiver of longing down the jinchüriki's spine, his body so aware of the Copy-nin's close proximity it was almost insane. What was it with the older man that made him hot all over with just the sound of his mellow voice?

Somehow, that small word seemed charged with million others, all unspoken promises of the unknown that Naruto wanted to explore and at the same time was terrified of. Naruto leaned closer, his right hand on the ground next to Kakashi's left hip and his gaze never wavered from Kakashi's single, visible eye.

Their lips didn't move but their eyes said so much more, speaking a language of hunger, crave and maybe… something more? It could've been the slight chill from the dusk, the moon rising in the sky or the starlight shining down on them, but the distance between them lessened until they leaned against each other, arms pressed together from shoulder to wrist.

Naruto was sure he could see heat radiate of the older man in waves, and despite his earlier resolves and logic trying to beat its way into his brain again. He knew it was too early, he knew it was stupid but… he couldn't resist any longer.

In that moment he wanted Kakashi so much, the yearning thumping alongside his heart so strong he'd had never felt anything like it. And if he could, just for a moment, feel that warmth… he would never ask for anything else again.

Kakashi would've had to be blind to miss the hunger shimmering in Naruto's dark eyes, and his heart speed up. It beat against his ribcage with such force he was afraid it would thump its way out of his body. He knew where this was heading and didn't mind it at all, he was more than eager to repeat their kiss. Naruto, unpredictable as ever, didn't play by the rules however, and Kakashi almost flinched when the blond slowly reached up to push Kakashi's hitai-ate up to reveal his closed, scarred eye.

"Open it", Naruto whispered; coming closer but so slowly Kakashi had to refrain from grabbing the younger man and crush him to his chest.

"Why?" Kakashi heard himself asking, the world around him fading into the background and all he could see, touch and hear was Naruto.

"Because I think it's beautiful", Naruto breathed; slowly running a finger down over the scar crossing Kakashi's eye. Complying with the jinchüriki's wish, Kakashi slowly opened his left eye; revealing the Sharingan to the younger man. Naruto smiled softly his lips parted as a soft sigh escaped his lungs. That little, breathless sound sent Kakashi over the edge. Before Naruto knew what had happened the older man had him cradled his arms. When equilibrium returned Naruto found himself half draped over Kakashi's lap, pressed close to the warm, hard body he'd dreamed of for weeks.

"I'm prepared to kiss you again", the Copy-nin murmured hoarsely; his cloth-clad lips ghosting over a blond-haired temple.

"I'm prepared to allow you", Naruto responded, voice equally husky and closed his eyes in anticipation. Kakashi, thankful for Naruto's tact and respect for his privacy, pulled his mask down and lowered his head until his lips was merely a breath away from Naruto's.

His warm breath ghosted over Naruto's chin and mouth in a teasing manner, and the younger man made an impatient noise in the back of his throat. Naruto raised his right arm, placed his hand around Kakashi's head - his fingers tangling in soft, silver tresses, and applied gentle pressure until those lips lowered and pushed against his own.

A shared sigh drifted from the couple as they slowly moved their mouths; drowning in the sensual sparks the skin on skin contact, however small area, ignited in them. Kakashi's tongue slid against Naruto's bottom lip and the blond complied with the silent request immediately. He parted his lips, welcomed it into his mouth where his own were eagerly waiting, almost throbbing from the need to feel Kakashi deeper and divulge in a sensual exploration.

It was foreplay as Naruto never had experienced it before. The intensity, the desire, the heat and the slow pace nearly drove him to the brink of insanity. Kakashi was the one dominating the kiss and setting the pace though, and so the jinchüriki surrendered himself and allowed the older man to lead. And he didn't seem to be in any rush as he savored the taste of his ex-student either.

Kakashi felt Naruto's increasing need and urgency in the way he tensed and relaxed repeatedly, and by the way he was squirming in Kakashi's lap as if he tried to get even closer. The Copy-nin withdrew slowly and with great reluctance, he'd rather remained where he was; kissing Naruto until both of them was unable to discern up from down.

But Naruto wasn't ready; whatever signals he was sending Kakashi right now didn't matter. If they would go along with what both of them wanted, Naruto would more than likely regret it come morning. Kakashi wanted to avoid that at all costs.

In the end the choice lay with Naruto. He was the one who would decide how he wanted it, even if it would seem like Kakashi was the one calling the shots. It was far from the truth. The Copy-nin just wanted Naruto to be sure of what he wanted and needed from Kakashi before anything else could happen between them.

As the older man's lips left his, pressing one, two, three light pecks against his in an exquisite goodbye, Naruto opened his eyes and stared up into the mismatched gaze above. How long they sat like that, Naruto in Kakashi's lap with the older man's arms around him, they never knew. At length, Kakashi move a little, to ease the pressure on his folded legs and Naruto slipped out of the strong arms. He instantly missed the warmth and security he had felt while resting in that hold.

"So… how do we move on from this?" Naruto felt compelled to ask even as he feared the answer. He didn't want to get hurt again, he didn't know if his heart could take it.

Kakashi unfolded his legs and stretched them out before him and leaned back on his elbows, reclining on the ground and somehow managing to look damned regal while doing it.

"Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but I'm sure you know by now that I'm quite attracted to you?" Naruto nodded, trying to ignore the big lump of anxiousness lodged in his throat which was throbbing in time with his rapid heartbeats.

"And I'm going to go out on a limb here, but my guess would be that you're quite attracted to me too?"

Naruto nodded again, blond bangs falling into his eyes as he bowed his head. He had no business blushing but couldn't fight the color from rising on his cheeks. Kakashi caught it, despite the faint light from the moon and thought Naruto adorable.

"So we take it as you want to take it", Kakashi finished. Naruto's head snapped up, wide eyes regarding the seemingly relaxed Copy-nin with no small amounts of surprise and suspicion.

"I'm not sure what you mean"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's only been four weeks since you and Sasuke went separate ways. I would be surprised if you didn't need more time to get over him and let your heart heal enough to let another, let alone me, in."

Blue eyes, almost black in the moonlight narrowed. "Let you in? You talk as if you want… more."

Kakashi hummed noncommittally and gave a small smile. "Maybe…"

And Naruto suddenly realized that he could actually see it. Kakashi hadn't pulled his mask up; his face was bared and clearly visible in the moonlight. Naruto gaped shamelessly and Kakashi's smile grew a little wider; showing dimples in smooth, pale cheeks.

Kakashi was… breathtaking, that was the most appropriate word running through Naruto's mind as he stared at Kakashi's face. Smooth skin, high cheekbones, a straight nose, thin, sculpted lips… The man was a painting; a work of art and the jinchüriki savored the sight. Hatake Kakashi's face wasn't perfect.

The nose was straight but bore signs of having been broken at some point, there was more than one scar marring the pale skin and stubble lined the strong jaw. Kakashi was undeniably good looking, but not in a beautiful way. No, his face had Naruto thinking about a warrior of old times, born and raised into the service of some feudal lord. And, he recognized with a wry smile, wasn't really that far from the truth.

"So… what then? You just wait around for me to decide whether I want to have a relationship with you or not?" Naruto asked, finally able to find steady ground again as Kakashi pulled his mask up.

The silver-haired man shrugged again. "I wouldn't have put it like that, but you got the gist of it."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully for a moment, eyes downcast in contemplation. "… I see." Then he looked up again and his eyes gleamed mischievously. "And would you feel opposed to a little… close contact convincing while waiting?"

Kakashi was an admitted genius, a prodigy of the kind that only showed up maybe once in a decade. He didn't need Naruto to say it straight out to get the point.

A slow smile curved his mouth and both of his eyes glimmered in response to Naruto's question.

"That", Kakashi purred and leaned in, mask-covered lips ghosting over Naruto's "would not be a hardship at all. Persuasion has always been a forte of mine."

"How convenient", Naruto smiled back, feeling more lighthearted than ever as he closed the distance and stole a last kiss for the evening.

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN: **Please leave a comment to warm the cold-ridden, runny-nosed and sniffling authoress ^^


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** I don't really have any good excuses for my taking so long to get this out. Does it help when I tell you that sickness, a major case of writer's block and the fact that I've re-written nearly all 19 pages plus that I got stuck half-way through... Ah well, excuses aside, thank fuck for being sick for the last three days. Gave me all the peace and quiet I needed to get this done! Please, enjoy!

**Warnings:** Well the start of the chapter is rather... steamy. If guys doing other guys ain't your thing you may go now.

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

_Ready - completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress_

_"Are you ready?" the voice whispered, the hoarse quality in it sending jolts of warmth and eager anticipation through him. He stared up into the face above his, heart trembling from anxiousness and elation both at the deep adoration reflected in the mismatched gaze observing him._

_"Yes", he breathed and relaxed the best he could, mentally preparing himself for the exquisite intrusion as the other slid inside of him with a careful thrust. Moans of pleasure spilled from their mouths, bodies trembling and a thin film of sweat coating their skin as they stilled for a moment. _

_The man cradled between his thighs breathed harshly, puffs of heated air scorching his skin as a perspiring forehead dropped to rest against his neck. He moved his hips, telling his lover that it was okay to move, to claim him fully._

_He drank in the sight as the older man started to rock back and forth at a leisurely pace, the powerful muscles bunching and relaxing under the scar littered, pale skin. The older man reached so deep, nudging the sensitive gland hidden in the soft folds inside of him, causing him to arch his back and spread his legs wider. He welcomed the sensation with impassioned exhalations and small mewls of encouragement, the blond head tossing restlessly against the pillow as flaxen brows knitted in a frown of pleasured anguish. _

_"Naruto…" Kakashi growled when his insides clenched around the hard flesh invading him again and again, never slowing the steady pace. "Wake up… you need to wake up now."_

_Hazy, blue eyes blinked in confusion. "Huh?"_

_"Wake up…"_

Naruto slowly opened his eyes as a voice penetrated his sleep, giving an annoyed and rather drowsy growl when reality intruded and broke the dream into pieces. Who the hell was it? He would kill the person who'd dared to wake him from one of the most exiting dreams he'd ever had. As he blinked sleep from his eyes and the lusty haze lingering in his mind dissipated, Naruto became aware of two things:

One: He was hard as a rock. Not an uncommon phenomenon per se, though the smoldering heat in his gut was.

Two: The object of his dream was leaning over him, faced bared to the morning sun with a smirk – dimples and all, curving his mouth.

It was that smirk that did it, Naruto decided. He quickly got his arms around Kakashi's neck and with the help of gravity and some muscle force had the Copy-nin sprawled beneath him. Naruto leaned heavily on Kakashi's chest, smirking cockily until a hand creeping up his thigh, towards his ass, wiped it right off of again.

Kakashi's right brow slowly arched, as if to say: _Well now that you got me, what're you going to do with me? _Naruto had always had a hard time resisting a challenge, especially when the silver-haired man seemed as unruffled as usual, like it was an everyday occurrence to be on his back in Naruto's bed. The blond lowered his face; lips coming to a halt not even an inch from Kakashi's.

"Close contact convincing?" he whispered breathily, managing to hold back a triumphant grin when Kakashi's single, visible eye darkened. Naruto wasn't prepared, however, when the Copy-nin moved and reversed their positions. The blond didn't mind at all, actually. He doubted anyone finding themselves under a very potent and sexy Copy-nin would.

"I'm _very _good at convincing when I want to be." The husky reply reminded so much of his dream and Naruto couldn't stop the shiver running down his spine at the lust filled implication in Kakashi's words. "And you should learn that if you play with fire… sooner or later you'll get burned", Kakashi murmured before pressing a slow, sensual kiss against the blond's pliant mouth.

The pleasure of having the older man kissing him made Naruto's toes curl in the rumpled sheets, tan hands reaching up to tangle all ten fingers in the messy crown of silver hair.

"If this is the result of playing with fire… burn me all you want", the blond rasped when Kakashi lifted his head some time later. Their gazes locked, communicating mutedly and conveying their emotions via their eyes rather than by words. After a moment Kakashi rolled off Naruto, got on his feet and offered a hand to the still dazed jinchüriki.

"It's a big day, can't dawdle around in bed too long", Kakashi chirped and was rewarded with a scowl. Naruto had actually forgotten all about it, what with the kissing and all, but it was in fact the day of the long awaited ANBU trial. Within five seconds the apprehension, which had filled him yesterday and had almost rendered him unable to sleep, returned. It made him feel restless and the nervous fluttering in his gut made him think it had twisted into several, possibly million, knots.

"Finally", Naruto exhaled, legs feeling almost jittery as he took Kakashi's extended hand and got out of the bed, yawning and scratching his neck as he made way towards the bathroom. Kakashi watched him go, eyes unabashedly roaming the expanse of toned muscles underneath smooth, tanned skin. The door swung shut behind the blond and a moment later the sound of the shower running could be heard.

Kakashi really, _really_ wanted to open the door and sneak a peek; though knowing that it would definitely not sit well with Naruto, the silver-haired man instead went out into the lounge. There, on the low coffee table, was a small chest made from chestnut wood; all dark and gleaming with brass hinges and lock and the Leaf's insignia branded on the lid. Knowing that Naruto was at least five minutes away, the Copy-nin busied himself with flipping the top and empty the container of its contents; lining them up on the table.

A turtleneck tank-top and pants, all in black and neatly folded. Shinobi sandals with spikes, made for traveling in rough terrain followed next. Then he took out armguards in shining metal and a pair of black gloves, long enough to reach just above the elbow. Three pouches to be carried at the back-waist were the next items, ready to be filled with various assortments of sharp and lethal weapons.

Rolls of black and white leg and arm wraps were neatly lined up and as he reached the bottom of the trunk, Kakashi took out the last item, possibly the most important save for the mask: A light grey vest with protective armor underneath the silky fabric, and seals graved onto it meant for making the thin metal plate more resistant towards penetration or damage.

The Copy-nin took a step back and surveyed the articles, nodding to himself as he made sure that there wasn't anything missing. Now he only had to wait for the main person to step out and see what he'd gotten for him…

Barely a minute later Naruto ambled out of his bedroom, whistling a small tune as he briskly toweled his hair dry. Kakashi suppressed an amused smile, knowing that Naruto was trying his best to look completely unruffled and not show the nervousness bubbling under the surface.

It failed. The stiff shoulders, the tenseness of his jaw and the skin around his eyes tightening were all telltale signs, read accurately by the older man. Not that he could blame the blond. Kakashi remembered only too well how he had felt the day of his own trial. Granted, he'd been thirteen, barely more than a child and not so little fearful, but if he'd been able to get through so would Naruto.

It only seemed like yesterday when he had first met his new genin-team, the only one he'd ever passed. The thought made him wistful, filled him with a sense of nostalgia as he gazed at Naruto. The team was all grown up now, living their lives as faith had led them down different paths. That didn't stop Kakashi from sending a small prayer to the heavens, thankful to have a chance at finally helping Naruto the way he'd always wanted.

In the years as team seven captain, Kakashi had been more attentive to Sasuke; not because he favored the raven-haired Uchiha but on orders from his superior. The Third had from the start intended that Naruto was to train under Jiraya, merely using Kakashi as a stepping stone. Kakashi was to teach Naruto the basics until the Toad Hermit would return and take over, nothing more and nothing less.

At the time Kakashi hadn't cared all too much about it; he didn't even know Naruto as a person, only as the vessel of the Kyuubi no Kitsune and as the Fourth's legacy. However, as time progressed and the Copy-nin witnessed and saw all of Naruto's potential he hadn't been able to suppress the growing resentment. He'd been forced to pass on the opportunity to train the blond properly, discarded as a used rag once Jiraya had deemed it worthy to show up.

Jiraya had been – without a doubt, a very powerful man, the right man to teach Naruto everything he needed to know. Despite his perverted, lazy, womanizing ways he still had the power and ability to make Naruto one of the greatest shinobi ever known and that… had stung more than Kakashi was willing to admit.

He had helped Naruto in the ways he was allowed to, trying not to step over the line drawn by the Third. And when Jiraya had showed up and took over, Kakashi had been out of the picture and he'd been free to concentrate on Sasuke; to pass his own legacy on to Sasuke in form of the Chidori. A nagging voice in the back of his head had refused to leave him along though, making him glance back over his shoulder, always looking for the little blond who'd used to follow him like a shadow.

Kakashi had wished that he could be the one to teach the blond jinchüriki, to be the one to be able to polish all that raw power and vast potential. But he hadn't been allowed, forbidden to teach his sensei's son the secrets and joys of the shinobi ways.

Jolted out of the recesses of his mind when Naruto stopped at the sight of the items on his coffee table, Kakashi focused back on the now. He took a step to the side and made a sweeping gesture with his arm, smiling slightly with not so little pride and a great sense of contentment.

"As they say: "Voilà!"" the silver-haired man said, noting that Naruto was standing stock-still, eyes riveted on the uniform. Slowly, at the same time as Kakashi was starting to get worried as Naruto hadn't said a word, the jinchüriki took a little step closer.

Blue eyes shifted to stare at Kakashi; a glint in the gaze that Kakashi suspected was disbelief. "That's for me?"

Kakashi's right brow arched. "I don't see anyone else around here in need of an ANBU uniform."

Moving slowly, as if he was afraid that it was only a cruel joke and this moment would be ripped from him at any second, tanned fingers gingerly touched the black clothes. Sensitive tips reverently fingered the garment, savoring the feel of the soft fabric.

The feeling filling him at the sight of the attire could only be described as exhilaration. Pure, natural excitement flowed through him as he looked at the uniform waiting for him. The mere thought made him giddy as he was finally within reach of the goal he'd been working so hard to reach.

When he was a kid he would sometimes spot one of the Leaf's silent guardians on their patrols around the village. The sight of the mysterious people watching over them had always struck a chord inside of him. Even if he hadn't wanted to be like them at the time, not able to understand nor comprehend the kind of world they lived in, he'd still felt somewhat related to them.

He knew what it was to be invisible, to not be seen by a whole village and to always remain in the shadows.

"Go on", Kakashi urged quietly when Naruto seemed reluctant to put it on. Naruto nodded jerkily, dropped the towel and reached out for the pants. It was like looking at a butterfly emerging from its cocoon; the little caterpillar that it once had been newborn as a beautiful being, ready to spread its wings and fly.

Gingerly Naruto stepped into the pants and buttoned them before pulling the top over his head, hands that trembled ever so slightly smoothing the tight garment over the flat planes of his stomach and toned pectorals. Kakashi noted that Naruto fumbled a little when he wrapped black bandages around his calves, looping them once under his heels before securing them. He watched the face grow blank as Naruto slid the gloves up his arms, securing the ends with the white wrappings. The vest was treated with something aching to awe, the buckles clasped and tightened to a perfect fit with slow movements.

The casual way Naruto slipped his feet into the sandals was actually a little out of place, Kakashi mused when the blond had done so and reached for the armguards, eyes closing for a brief second before he looked at the Copy-nin. Knowing what he wanted without saying a word, Kakashi obliged and stepped forward to help the blond fasten them around his forearms.

Once done Kakashi took a step back and stared. That was the only thing he could do, as the sight of Naruto decked out in the ANBU uniform was something that would forever be branded into the silver-haired man's memory, even without the Sharingan's help.

The tight clothes, designed to be light and constructive, clung to Naruto's body; showing off his toned physique. The black fabric contrasted against his tanned skin and blond hair, highlighting the blue, blue eyes.

Naruto had been nervous the whole time and the tenseness increased twofold when the older jounin remained silent. The single, grey eye seemed to be able to see right through him and Naruto felt a blush slowly creep up his neck towards his face. He couldn't help it; Kakashi's intense scrutiny reminded him of the dream and well… the feelings welling forth inside of Naruto made things a little clouded.

"Well… what do you think?" Naruto asked at length, when he couldn't take it any longer. Kakashi eye snapped up from the vicinity of his chest to focus on his face, the small smile playing on his lips widening.

"You look good. It suits you, more than I thought it would", Kakashi replied honestly. "Only two more things left before you're all set and good to go."

Naruto frowned. "What's missing?"

Kakashi shook his head, still smiling. "Breakfast first. It's the most important meal of the day, especially before ANBU trials."

They headed out into the kitchen and ate in silence, satisfied for the moment with no small talk, but it wasn't uncomfortable in any way. The shared silence was soothing; the kind you almost instinctively felt when you truly trusted someone else. Once they were done and Kakashi had helped Naruto clearing the table, the older man motioned for Naruto to follow him out into the lounge again. Naruto looked a little concerned, and when worried eyes looked at him pleadingly, Kakashi gave him a placating smile in return – the dimples making a brief appearance. He reached into the pouch at the small of his back. He pulled out two items, keeping one hidden behind his back for a moment longer while he gave the other to Naruto; a piece of black cloth.

Naruto's confusion grew. "What's this?"

"A bandana"

Naruto looked between the cloth in his hand and Kakashi's face, a doubtful expression taking over his face.

"I can see that. What do I need if for?" the blond asked as he tied the scarf around his head; covering up all of that blond hair.

"I was going to tell you to tie it around your head, but that seems kind of pointless now", Kakashi teased, getting an annoyed glare in return. He allowed a brief chuckle of amusement before growing serious, deciding that Naruto probably was nervous enough without Kakashi aggravating him further.

"You need it because it's standard procedure for all ANBU recruits, Naruto. If you make it into the ranks the choice to wear it or not will be up to you", Kakashi explained.

The older man carried on before Naruto could respond. "And next is this", Kakashi said as he brought forth the last item, the missing piece to Naruto's uniform. The jinchüriki's eyes widened when he saw that it was a mask, a real ANBU mask. It didn't have any markings and Naruto reached out and grasped the mask with reverence, like it was an invaluable piece of art. He cradled the porcelain in his hands and slowly stroked it with his thumbs; the cool, smooth surface unmarred and pure.

He slowly raised his head and locked gaze with the other man; his eyes filled with emotions he couldn't possibly convey. The Copy-nin stepped up to him, reaching out to cradle tanned shoulders in his hands, the grey eye regarding the blond without the usual twinkle of amusement.

"I'm proud of you, Naruto", the older man said. Before Naruto could respond to the words, momentarily stunned by the sudden praise, Kakashi leaned forward and pressed his lips against Naruto's in a chaste kiss. Naruto responded in his own shy way, slightly leaning into the kiss. When they parted their gazes lingered on the other's face, prolonging the closeness for another moment.

Naruto gave a small smile, hands going from where they'd rested on Kakashi's hips to slide up his arms. "Thank you, Kakashi."

They shared another kiss and a few more minutes passed before Kakashi was able to tear himself away. He backed up as he pulled his mask in place. "I need get going, so many places to be so little time", he grinned as he made his way to the window behind the couch. It was always left open, a habit Naruto had adopted during Kakashi's "awareness training." It was littered with traps, of course. Iruka hadn't been idle when it came to Naruto's security and he'd passed all of his knowledge on the subject on to Naruto. And as Iruka was something of an expert his teachings had turned Naruto into his equal; landing more than one of Konoha's elite shinobi in a tight spot over the years. The jinchüriki – and Iruka, even if he'd never say it out loud to keep from encouraging Naruto's pranks – prided himself with the ability to make them almost impossible to discern before it was too late.

Therefor Naruto couldn't help the flabbergasted expression on his face when Kakashi neatly dodged them all on his way out, sidestepping and ducking so smoothly it was as if they weren't even there to begin with. The man even whipped his book out as he gracefully half-crouched in order to avoid a barely visible string of chakra thread.

"How the hell do you do that?" Naruto asked, torn between awe and frustration. Kakashi shrugged noncommittally, his attention already trained on the open book in his hand.

"Because I'm just that awesome", was the absentminded answer. "And because I've been spending at least three hours each day for the past week outside this window", Kakashi added with a smirk, balancing on the edge of the window sill with a careless grace that could only come from years of experience.

"You've been spying on me?" Naruto asked outraged, not knowing whether to laugh or to be mad.

"Spying is such a harsh word, Naruto. I'm more inclined to call it information gathering. You look really good in those orange boxers by the way", Kakashi replied cheekily, neatly dodging the kunai Naruto hurled at him.

"You pervert!" Naruto yelled, red faced from embarrassment.

"Maa… Why so surprised? I thought it was common knowledge by now", Kakashi chuckled and snagged the shuriken aimed at him without even looking up from Icha Icha. It spun around his middle finger before he calmly palmed it.

"And Naruto…" Kakashi's amused voice stopped Naruto when he was about to throw another kunai at the Copy-nin.

"Yes?"

"I'll pick you up tomorrow night for our celebratory date."

Naruto's brows knitted in confusion, anger all but forgotten. "What celebratory date?"

"Well, as you'll most likely pass the trials with flying colors I thought I'd take you out as a reward. Be ready at eight pm. Oh, and this will tell you where you need to go."

With that the Copy-nin was gone, leaving a flabbergasted Naruto and a small scroll lying on the sill behind. As soon as the stupor faded Naruto's face reddened indignantly as he stalked up to the window and grabbed the scroll.

"I didn't even say yes!" he screamed after the Copy-nin and even though the man was gone Naruto swore he could hear a faint chuckle.

Sighing deeply his eyes returned to the mask still clasped in his left hand. He started at the blank porcelain, a mix of thrilled anticipation and dread seeping through him.

_Well… noting good comes from turning back now,_ Naruto mused as he slid the mask over his face; the cool material against his skin unfamiliar but not uncomfortable. He opened the scroll in his other hand, blinking at the small script.

_Training ground 44, gate 37 at 1200 hours._

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><p>Naruto landed in a soft crouch, feet barely making any sound on the dry dirt in front of gate 37. Looking around and seeing that he wasn't alone, the blond slowly straightened and joined the eerily silent group gathered a little to the right of the entry. They all regarded him from behind their own blank masks, eleven heads dipping in small nods of acknowledgment. He returned the nod and turned to the front of the group, where three men wearing a Wolverine, Tiger and Wolf mask regarded them from under the shadow the hoods pulled up to cover their hair cast over their snarling alter egos.<p>

The Tiger stepped forward. He was a tall and muscular man, and the powerful aura surrounding him and his comrades seemed to fill the small opening between the forest behind and the fence in front of them.

"Attention!" Tiger barked, the deep baritone demanding immediate obedience. Twelve men straightened their backs and stood rigid before the ANBU, eyes staring forward firmly while Tiger slowly stared to walk among them. "So you want to join ANBU, do you?"

The question was obviously a rhetorical one, seeing as no one answered. Naruto fought the urge to hold his breath when the big man made a momentary stop in front of him, shadowed eyes slowly trailing from head to toe before moving on.

"I know what you've heard, I know what your expectations have been and I know that you will come out of this trial and be proven wrong about them all." Tiger stopped in front of them again, hands going behind his back as he nodded towards Wolverine and Wolf, who'd been standing as silent and rigid as the expectant applicants – possibly even more.

"These two are my right and left hand and they will be my eyes inside of the Forest of Death. They will watch you, they will observe you and, above all… they will evaluate you. If you have any doubts that you will not make this… you are free to leave now."

Tiger waited for a moment and when no one made a move to leave he bowed his head in satisfaction. "You will be divided into four teams with three members each. You are not allowed to speak with any other team unless I say otherwise. You will depart from this gate with five minutes intervals on Wolf's signal. Any questions?"

Again, silence ruled. Tiger motioned his head towards the group of applicants and Wolverine stepped forward and walked up to them, pulling a bunch of colored ribbons from the pouch at the small of his back as he approached. He was shorter than the other two but no less intimidating, the slender form moving with the grace of a feline.

"I hate to state the obvious", Wolverine drawled when he stopped beside Tiger "but it is protocol to inform you of their purpose. You will tie this ribbon around your left upper arm, so you know which team is yours. You are not allowed to remove them or switch with another color once given, understood?"

At their collective nod, Wolverine started to divide the ribbons among them, walking aimlessly as he handed them out. Naruto nodded his thanks when he got a green one, tying and securing it around his arm once the Wolverine had moved on from him.

When he was done the Wolverine masked ANBU went back to his original position and Wolf took his place at the Tiger's side. Wolf was almost as tall as Tiger, but where the cat masked commander was more bulky, the Wolf was sleek and wiry – moving as light and gracefully as his namesake.

"All right, listen up! You will be handed a scroll each, it contains information about your assignment. Understood?" They all gave their silent affirmation and Wolf and Tiger took a step back.

"Let's get this started then. Team Red, line up!"

Naruto's team, the Green one, was the last team to receive their scroll and step through the gate that would allow them entry into the Forest of Death. Naruto could hardly hold back a snort. Ever since the disastrous Chunin exam, six years ago, he'd lost all of his old fear for the dangerous wilderness. Really, after facing down a snarling demon stuck in his belly on many occasions, six dead bodies used as puppets, two immortal guys and so on, there were few things left that could scare the jinchüriki.

The Green team stopped just inside the gate, the three men looking at each other with not so little uncertainty. Naruto's dominant and brash nature kicked in immediately.

"Let's find a good place to hide before we open this up", he suggested in a low whisper, feeling the weight of the situation upon his shoulders when the two other guys nodded their compliance and followed the blond as they vanished into the dense shrubbery.

* * *

><p>Wolf closed the gate after the last team entered and secured the lock with a dramatic flair of his arm. Wolverine snorted and Tiger chuckled amusedly.<p>

"So… this bunch seems a lot more promising than the last", Wolf said when he turned towards his commander and comrade, the smile on his face evident in his voice.

"Maybe that's just because we all know who's in for it this time around?" Wolverine suggested as he lazily leaned back against the fence, face tilted towards the sun even though the man couldn't feel the rays on his skin.

Wolf nodded. "Well yeah, there's that. And also because no one left. Last time Tiger gave that speech three didn't even make it through this gate." He motioned to the entryway behind him.

Tiger crossed his arms over his chest. "We'll just have to wait and see. I'm going to the command center now and you two got a job to do." Wolverine straightened with a low, annoyed grumble and Wolf sighed and straightened from the slouch he'd been standing in.

"Communication traffic still on channel three?"

"Nothing's changed since this morning, you know that", Tiger said, almost but not quite sounding a little annoyed.

"Just wanted to make sure."

"And if that book of yours makes an appearance…" Tiger didn't have to speak further, he made the threat clear just fine without having to even change the tone of voice.

Wolf chuckled a little mockingly. "Sure thing, sir. I didn't even bring it."

"So if I were to check Wolverine's pouches and pockets I wouldn't find it?"

Wolverine and Wolf looked at each other, the shorter man shrugging apologetically before Wolf's accusing stare. "I didn't say anything to anyone."

"How does he know that? Every time it's like-"

"Because it's you. Now, get going and keep your eyes on the chicks."

Knowing that the time for lighthearted banter was over; Wolf and Wolverine saluted their commander with a joint "Yes sir!" and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

><p>Naruto raised his hand in the universal sign for 'Stop', keeping perfectly still as he scanned their surroundings with both eyes and his chakra. When he felt no nearby presence, save for some of the animals inhabiting the dense forest, he nodded once and pointed at a secluded spot underneath a tree. The roots where twining above ground, thick and dark and shiny with moisture. They formed a small cave that would provide temporary shelter and hide them from sight long enough for them to get the information from the scroll.<p>

The blond was careful when he stuck his head inside to take a look, knowing that just because it looked safe didn't mean that it was. When it showed that the hole wasn't some creature's home the team wedged themselves inside. It was small but seeing as they wouldn't be there for very long it was more than good enough to serve their purpose.

"All right", Naruto whispered. "First, before we open this scroll, we should come up with some code names. It feels a little weird saying 'Hey you' when we have to talk to each other."

"Who made you the boss?" the man to his right wanted to know, the aggressive tone in his voice suggesting that he maybe would like the position for himself. The other man to his left nodded in agreement.

Naruto resisted the impulse to sigh. "Does it matter? We're in this together as a team."

Silence followed his question, the other guys looking at each other and then at Naruto. "…Fine. But hurry up; I just want to finish this as quickly as possible."

Naruto rolled his eyes behind his mask. Was it really too much to ask for a teammate who wasn't a stuck up, I'm-gonna-do-this-alone bastard?

"Look, I don't care what you want. We were obviously divided like this for a reason. You're jounins right?" The men nodded. "Well then you both know that we're in this together. It doesn't work if one or two of us just want to do this while thinking it's a one-man show."

The men reluctantly agreed and with that settled Naruto could finally get down to business. Searching the pouch attached to his right leg, below his kunai holster, Naruto pulled out a small, black marker and quickly made a tiny mark on each of the other guys' masks.

"You", he pointed at the one the right "are Right. I am Center and you are Left", he finished and pointed at the other. Both of them snorted with something that could've been derisive laughter.

"How original", Left muttered, but Naruto ignored them. They could think what they wanted. If they were to make it out alive and not fail the entire trial it would be a lot easier if they could separate one from the other, as the three of them were all of similar height and build.

"Now… let's take a look at that scroll."

Right opened the scroll on the ground in front of them, hand jerking back when a puff of smoke erupted. Naruto was alarmed for a second, thinking that it was a poisonous gas, which in the end turned out to be the usual result from opening a sealing scroll. Once the smoke had cleared they looked down and on the ground were now three wireless radios and a small note.

After handing the radios out Naruto picked up the note and read it out loud, so Right and Left could hear.

_Mission: Infiltrate the Tower at the center of the Forest of Death._

_Objectives are as followed:_

_1: Stay undetected._

_2: Locate five chakra crystals within a space of no less than five minutes and no more than twenty minutes._

_3: Remain together no matter what circumstances._

_4: Enemies you encounter must be disposed of._

_Should you not success to accomplice any of the above mentioned objectives you are automatically disqualified and will fail. Should you be detected and apprehended you will fail. Lethal force is anticipated and required._

Naruto looked up at Left and Right. "Well… before we go barging inside the Tower… tell me about your abilities."

* * *

><p>Wolf reclined back against the trunk of the tree he was hiding in, keeping one eye on the Red team slowly making their way towards the Tower and the other on his surroundings. The sun was high in the sky, but despite the star shining brightly the day was blessedly cool. Winter was finally approaching, granting the inhabitants in Fire country some much longed for reprieve from the heat.<p>

Christmas was around the corner, and while Wolf usually didn't particularly like the holiday he had a feeling that he would enjoy it this year, thanks to a certain blond he was enamored with. Seeing that the Red team was almost at the Tower, being none the wiser of their silent watchers, Wolf reached up to press the button on the wireless radio around his throat.

"How's it looking, Wolverine?"

Statics crackled gently in his ear before Wolverine's voice returned _"Team Blue and Yellow were caught trying to enter the Tower, captain."_

"Maa… already? It's only been two hours. That leaves team Red, who's almost there, and team Green but I haven't spotted them yet. How about you?"

_"No sign of them. Man, I just want to have this over and done with, I feel like taking a nap."_

Wolf chuckled. "Now now, you know that we were selected because we-"

_"Are the best for this kind of surveillance. I know. Still doesn't make it any less of a drag if you ask me."_

"Anything's a drag if anyone asks you."

_"True. Ah… I see team Red now. Let's see if they'll do a better job at keeping themselves from getting caught than the other two teams."_

"Only time will tell", Wolf replied teasingly, knowing just how much his teammate was dying for some time off to indulge himself in some cloud watching.

_"Sooner rather than later",_ Wolverine grumbled in his ear before going silent, no doubt keeping his keens eyes focused on team Red, despite his reluctance to have to supervise in the first place. Wolf jumped from the branch, falling to the ground and landing as silent as a shadow.

Knowing that there was no way in hell Naruto would be among the captured teams, he decided to pull a little closer to the Tower and then circle it. His chances of spotting team Green were better if he kept moving and scanning the area.

"I really hope that you use that brain of yours this time, Naruto", Wolf mumbled to himself as he took to another tree, soundlessly moving from branch to branch in the direction of the Tower.

* * *

><p>Getting through the forest, evading flesh-eating plants, big, hungry… things that wanted to eat you even more, and some cleverly laid out traps had been a walk in the park. Or well, that was the answer given if anyone had asked Naruto.<p>

Right and Left still grumbled about the swamp they'd gotten stuck in. It wasn't like Naruto had told them to step on the hammock, which while had looked all firm and safe to step on, had in actually been a larger gathering of water plants and not so safe to step on after all.

They were wet and muddy and reeked a little, but who cares? Naruto didn't and he still had to smell the jerks, even more so than he wanted to, thanks to his slightly enhanced sense of smell, one of the few perks from having a rabid, nine-tailed fox sealed in his belly.

Although, right in that moment Naruto's feelings towards aforementioned perks were a little… ambiguous. But swamp-flopping aside, he was just really glad that after almost three hours… they were finally about to infiltrate the Tower.

It sounded much easier than reality let on. If it had been a perfect world, Naruto's dad wouldn't have had to seal a demon inside his son to save a village, Naruto would still have his parents, Sasuke wouldn't be a cheating bastard and the god damned Tower wouldn't be littered with traps.

Naruto stared at a small window, seated high on the rounded wall looming above them. It was getting darker, indicating that dusk was approaching and that they had taken too much time already just to get there. Naruto had wanted to be better safe than sorry however, and had chosen to take a longer route to get there instead of just marching up to the front door and storm inside.

Kakashi's lectures of always looking underneath the underneath had stuck and now Naruto was wondering if they hadn't stuck a little too well, what with the impatient muttering Left and Right were making behind him.

"Are we gonna stand here all day? We have a trial to finish", Left whined, fidgeting and unable to stand still for more than three seconds. Right concurred with a grunt and Naruto had to resist the urge to turn around and throttle them both.

Seriously, how had those two ever been able to make it to jounin? _Maybe they wailed their way through that exam too… _the blond mused silently as he scanned the wall beneath the window.

Wolf, who was sitting in another tree not even ten feet behind team Green, held back a snort of contempt. While he was pleased by the silent guy's refusal to even answer that stupid question, he was kinda hoping that the team would fail soon.

Silent guy was more than welcome to join ANBU, he seemed to have the right kind of attitude, Whiny 1 and 2 were not. The elite group didn't want incompetent whiners among them, even on a good day.

Watching Silent guy command Whiny 1 and 2 to dismantle the traps on the walls, while he started to climb the wall with applying chakra to his hands a feet, Wolf admitted that he was impressed. It had taken him almost one hour to track the illusive team down, and he wouldn't have been able to if it hadn't been for Whiny 1 and 2's wails of disgust when they'd splashed into the swamp.

Wolf shook his head in dismay. Really, young people these days didn't know a thing about endurance or the importance to keep your trap shut, even when falling into a pool of muddy water. If they didn't watch out they'd be dead before they knew it.

Keen eyes followed Silent guy as he reached the window and quickly and efficiently broke the traps lining the frames. He waved at Whiny 1 and 2 and they scrambled after him, using far more chakra than necessary and causing more noise than an elephant in a glass shop.

Wolf sighed with annoyance. He'd seen enough.

"Wolverine…"

_"Yes captain?"_

"Shut the place down, we're finished here."

Wolverine sighed with relief. _"Finally."_

* * *

><p>As soon as Naruto's feet touched the ground inside of the tower an alarm blared to life, lights started to flash and he, together with Left and Right, found themselves surrounded by a group of fierce masked ANBU.<p>

"Fuck!" Naruto cursed out loud, standing stock still as Wolf and Wolverine landed in front of them and approached on silent feet.

"This is all your fault!" Right accused Naruto vehemently, followed close by Left's grating voice. "Why did we let him be in charge? We should've left him behind like I told you we-"

"Silence", Wolf barked, startling the whiny duo. "Attention." They straightened and Naruto refused to show how disappointed he was as the taller man moved past him and stopped in front of Left and Right.

"You are a disgrace and I can tell you now that neither of you will ever be given this chance again, no matter what recommendations you get." Wolf turned his back on the spluttering men and looked straight at Naruto. Slowly, doing his namesake justice, he prowled around Naruto, eyes darting over his form and taking in his rigid stance and stony silence.

"Now you on the other hand… Well played. Too bad that your team managed to drag you down with them." Naruto gave a short nod for the praise, but frustration was burning hotly in his belly and left a stale taste in the back of his mouth. Wolf stopped in front of him, the snarling face not even two inches from his own, blank mask.

"Tell you what... I'll pass you if you tell me each and every one of their errors, starting from when you entered the gates."

Naruto swallowed around the lump in his throat. Teamwork was so ingrained in him, instilled by the very man who he'd come to feel so strongly for, so much more than a former student should ever feel about a former teacher. He ached to spit out all the annoying bits and pieces Left and Right had done, longed to spill his guts and beg on his knees to please, _please_… let me pass.

But Kakashi's teachings were still too embedded in him, branded onto the very foundation on which all of his beliefs rested. Naruto bowed his head and closed his eyes before he opened his mouth and sealed his fate.

"I have nothing to say."

Wolf regarded him for a long moment that may have lasted for three seconds but felt like an eternity. And then…

"ANBU… we have found ourselves our newest recruit."

* * *

><p>Naruto was still in a daze when he entered the Hokage's office, mind spinning a mile a minute as he tried to process what had just happened. He'd passed. He'd passed the god damned trial without even breaking a sweat, all thanks to his refusal to sell out his teammates; no matter how reluctant he'd been of even calling them that.<p>

And now he was to stand in front of Tsunade and the ANBU commander, Tiger, and hear what they had to say about it. To say that he was nervous would've been an understatement. It felt like he had a vat of worms trapped in his stomach, intestines heaving and knitting as the anxiety grew almost unbearable.

Despite Wolf's reassurances that neither the Fifth nor Tiger would go against his judgment, Naruto had no idea who the Wolf masked man was and why he'd seemed so confident. If the man had known exactly who Naruto was there was no way in hell he'd made it past the gate to begin with.

Okay, Naruto realized that he came across as rather cynical but fuck, who could blame him? That's why he was surprised when he came into the office through his usual entrance – the window- and had a jug of sake hurled at his head.

"The hell is the matter with you, old hag?" Naruto almost shrieked in outrage, totally ruining his cover and making the small gathering of ANBU in front of Tsunade's desk snicker.

"Told you he'd blow it", Dolphin smugly said to Wolverine, who grumbled under his breath and handed the slightly taller man two coins.

"Don't know why I agreed to your troublesome bet to begin with."

A Raven masked man looked at the Wolverine at his side. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out yourself."

Wolverine shrugged. "I did… I just chose to believe that he would actually keep his mouth shut."

"Don't call me that!" Tsunade yelled at Naruto and threw another jug, sake spraying the jinchüriki with sake as it exploded against the wall behind his right shoulder. "And learn how to use the god damned door, it's there for a reason!"

"Whatever", Naruto muttered and stomped, dripping with booze, up to the desk. He was pouting as he ripped the mask off of his face and tossed it on the numerous piles of paperwork covering the table top. The red, angry flush slowly faded from the Fifth's face and she sat down again, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

While Naruto may have been more mature and a little calmer these days, something just about every one of his friends thanked the heavens for, he was still the same loudmouthed, hotheaded brat that had challenged her six years ago.

"Doors aside… congratulations on passing the trial, Naruto."

Naruto bowed his head, having had time to compose himself a little. "Thanks. I still don't know why though."

"That's because you were the best choice out of anyone there", Wolf answered from the door, stepping inside and shutting it with a soft click behind him. He walked up and stopped beside Tiger, handing over a folder that the older man took with a slight nod. The commanded looked through it before he handed it to Tsunade, who did the same and then shut it with a snapping sound.

"So… you refused to badmouth your teammates even when they were behaving like a pair of idiots?"

"Yes ma'am", Naruto told her, rubbing his face as tiredness started to settle in. While the trial itself hadn't been hard on his body, it had taken its toll on his mind. The stress hadn't made it any easier and with the added burden of having to herd two morons at the same time, it was a small miracle that Naruto wasn't asleep on his feet already.

Tsunade's eyebrows arched. "Why?"

"They were my teammates. We don't badmouth our own", was Naruto simple reply. The Fifth hummed with satisfaction and glanced at Tiger, who nodded back and took a step forward.

"Uzumaki Naruto… You've shown an ample amount of skill, initiative, qualities of leadership and solidarity. While your team didn't complete all of the objectives you've still proven yourself to us and we would like to offer you a place among us… once the apprenticeship is over, of course."

Naruto, having become lost in Tiger's deep, mellow voice and the warm words that washed over him, jerked to attention and gaped at the ANBU commander.

"Wait a- Apprenticeship?"

Tiger's head dipped in affirmation. "Certainly. We can't have newly joined ANBU running around on the loose without knowing anything about how we operate, now can we?"

"I… suppose not." Naruto smiled a little weakly, too tired to even start an argument. Tsunade's smirk bloomed to a smile of her own and she waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about that, Naruto. It's only three months and you'll be joining an experienced team with people you know. It's going to be over before you know it."

"So what does this apprenticeship mean exactly?" Naruto was almost afraid to ask, visions of him doing mundane tasks that no one else wanted to do for three months swimming before his eyes.

"Watching, learning and doing as you're told", Wolf answered instead of Tsunade, coming up to stand beside Tiger. Tsunade grinned at Naruto's crestfallen face at the words "doing as you're told."

"Naruto, meet Wolf, your new captain. He's responsible for you and your new team, 13. That's the ones behind you." Naruto turned a little and regarded them, giving a snort when he saw their masks.

"C'mon…" he said sardonically. "Raven I get and possibly Wolverine but… _Dolphin?_ They couldn't come up with a better mask for you, Iruka?" Startled and not so little irritated at having been recognized, Iruka pushed the mask to the side of his head and glared at the blond.

"I didn't have much say in it." He glowered at Wolf, who just shrugged.

"Don't blame me. It wasn't _my_ decision."

"How did you know it was us?" Neji asked as he pushed his own mask aside, the pale eyes warming ever so slightly at Naruto. The blond snorted.

"Well, you may wear masks but I can read your signatures just fine. And I don't know anyone besides the bastard who stands like he's got something showed up his ass, Neji." He didn't mention that whereas he could feel Wolf and Tiger's chakra signatures, he couldn't read them.

All warmth left the Hyüga's eyes and returned to their normal cold and glaring state. Shikamaru signed deeply and pushed his own Wolverine mask on top of his head, shoulders and back slouching as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Are we done with all this troublesome business soon, Hokage-sama?" the lazy ANBU wanted to know. Tsunade blinked and looked up at Tiger.

"I think that's enough for today. Naruto…" The blond turned his attention back to her just in time to catch the blank mask she threw at him. "That's yours for three more months. Keep it clean and out of sight for curious eyes, we don't need the whole village to know who is behind it."

"Sure thing", Naruto muttered as he put it on, the other three, bare-faced med following suits. They all turned to Wolf when they were done, waiting for him to talk. The tall man was standing in an awfully familiar slouch and a nagging suspicion made itself known in the back of Naruto's head.

"We're still off for tomorrow", Wolf droned. That was it. Obviously used to their captain, team 13 waved goodbye and left, except for Iruka, who waited for Naruto. However, as the blond was about to join him, he was stopped by a voice whispering in his ear.

"I never told you."

Naruto frowned. "Told me what…?"

"Just how damn fine you look in your uniform."

Naruto's head snapped to the side and now that he was so close and in a room lit by lamps, he could make out the mismatched eyes twinkling behind the sneering Wolf face. Admittedly, Naruto should have known. How he'd missed it at the start of the trial earlier he had no idea, but he still kicked himself for missing the obvious.

Of course. Who else could it be? Kakashi chuckled at the wide, blue eyes behind the blank mask. "Surprise?"

It took the blond a few more seconds to compose himself, but once over the initial shock he couldn't help but smirk. "So once again it's me under you?" He realized how wrong that sounded right after it'd come out and Kakashi gleefully jumped the opportunity before the jinchüriki could correct it.

"Oh I don't know… I've never had you under me like I want to-"

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Naruto hissed.

"No? Was that what they call a Freudian slip then?"

Naruto had no way to hold back the amused chuckle, or the fond glint in his eyes. "You're hopeless."

He didn't have to see the waggling eyebrows to know that Kakashi was doing it. "But you like it?"

"Maybe…"

"Tell me more about this maybe tomorrow at our date?"

Naruto's smile fell and was a replaced by a scowl. "Yeah, remind me to beat you up for assuming I'd just go along with that."

Kakashi's brows arched behind his mask. "Were you planning on turning me down?"

"…No", the younger man answered eventually and averted his eyes from Kakashi's, fingers fidgeting with the attached claws at the ends of his gloves.

"Great", Kakashi all but beamed. Or he would've beamed if he'd been anyone else. To the others in the room it looked like they were merely talking, but a pair of warm, brown eyes regarded them carefully as they took in just how close they stood and the way they were all but flirting with each other.

Iruka narrowed his eyes and promised that he'd take a moment to have a long, nice chat with his captain in the very foreseeable future.

"I'll pick you up at eight then?" Kakashi wondered as he was about to turn back to his two superiors, glancing back at Naruto over his shoulder.

"Sounds good. And don't be late!" Naruto said at his back in goodbye and followed Iruka out through the door. It shut behind them and left them alone in the silent corridor. Despite the fact that it was early evening the Hokage tower was empty of people. The only room still packed was the mission room, where exhausted and harassed looking chunins did their best to hand out assignments, accept reports for missions carried out and handle the mass of mostly semi-crazy jounin and the odd chunin.

"So…" Iruka started as they exited the tower and walked towards Naruto's apartment. He really needed a shower, a nap and some food – not necessarily in that order. "How about I take you out for some ramen after we've changed and you tell me all about this… date you have with Kakashi tomorrow?"

Naruto hang his head. _Crap…_

tbc...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Yeah so... comments, love and affection anyone? ^^


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the time it's taken me to get this done. Bear in mind though that it's... 24 pages basically re-written from scratch. I only saved small parts of the original chapter, which I've still changed. So yeah, between that and work and all the other of million things going on in my life, I'm lucky to having finished it at all!

**Warnings**: Un-beta'd. Any mistakes are my own, sorry.

* * *

><p><strong>Cover<strong>

By General16**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

_Complication - a situation or condition that is complex or confused_

It was late and the moon, eternally courted by twinkling stars ruled the nightly sky. Soft light bathed the sleeping village of Leaf, painting the quiet town with ethereal, silvery fingers. Few windows were lit at this time of the night, majority of them black and still of life; evidence that most of Konoha's populace rather liked their sleep.

Silent shadows moved through the night-time, guarding and watching over the nocturnal peace. Conversely, one of those shadows moved in different pattern; gliding on silent feet throughout the village, a specific goal firmly in mind.

Alerting more than one guard on its way, it passed by unhindered as soon as they realized that it was one of their own. Nodding faintly in greeting and farewell, they all assumed that it had recently returned from a mission and was on its way home.

The shadow was grateful that none of its comrades had tried to stop it, as some of them usually did, for a bit of a chat. It didn't want to linger in its way, its goal not being its home but at a different site that night.

It made its way to an apartment block in the south district; a small flat in a nondescript house that was nestled between a shoddy looking sushi restaurant and an old Laundromat. It dropped down and landed on soft feet, perching perfectly balanced on the narrow sill outside one of the four windows of the corner apartment. Keen eyes slowly overlooked the amount of intricate and, to be honest, quite deadly traps that would keep sensible people out, lining the frame.

Snorting at the thought that they could keep _it_ out, the shadow went to work. It wasn't easy, even for a specialist like the shadow, but soon enough all the traps were dismantled without the apartment's occupant being none the wiser. Stealthily, like the elite shinobi it was, the shadow slowly slid the window open and snuck inside, padding on soundless feet towards the bedroom at the other end of the lounge he'd entered.

The door was not entirely closed, an opening a couple of inches wide enough for the shadow to make out the slumbering man on the bed in the middle of the dark room. It waited for almost ten minutes, making sure that the man really was sleeping soundly before it moved from the door; body tense and mind determined as it set out to do what needed to be done before the sun came up.

Kakashi blinked awake as a straying ray of weak sunlight found a small crack in the blinds over the window, shining directly in his face. The mighty Copy-nin grumbled grouchily, wanting to sleep in a little longer.

For all that he'd really enjoyed helping Naruto prepare for the ANBU trial; very much so, this was the first day in a month that he'd be allowed to sleep in. Knowing that it was useless, that he'd only end up dozing and getting more tired in the end, and with mind already alert and ready to face the day, Kakashi climbed out of the bed and made his way towards the lounge.

He was in dire need of some coffee and trip to the bathroom, nothing could stop him to fulfill these two goals… or so he thought until he stepped out of the bedroom.

Wide, mismatched eyes took in the sight of what must've been thousands of chakra threads glimmering in the light spilling in from the window facing east, and a smug-looking Umino Iruka sitting on the windowsill.

"Morning", Iruka greeted cheerily, a wide grin plastered on his face as he resisted the urge to snicker at Kakashi's gobsmacked expression. It took the silver-haired man, bleary eyes, sleep muddled brain and aching bladder aside, exactly three point two seconds to figure out why Iruka was there to begin with, what with the traps littering the whole lounge area. Kakashi couldn't see the kitchen from where he was standing but he had no doubt that the younger brunet had rigged that space too.

"Seriously? Don't you think that you're exaggerating just a little bit?"

Iruka's grin didn't diminish in cheer but it changed subtly, growing harder around the edges. "Not really, no."

"You know, if you put this much effort into your own love-life instead of sticking your nose where it don't belong, you could get the sex you're obviously in dire need of", Kakashi deadpanned. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe, hiding his smirk when the grin dropped and a predicted blush stained Iruka's cheeks. However hardheaded and tough the younger man acted, he was still adorably easy to embarrass.

Iruka sputtered for a moment, falling for Kakashi's diversionary tactic. "You stay the hell out of my love-life!"

"And you keep away from mine", the Copy-nin retorted calmly.

Iruka leveled him with a heated glare, getting his mind back on track. "Not as long as you're planning on including Naruto in it."

The sigh was barely noticeable but the pained and exasperated expression briefly flitting over Kakashi's face was. The older man actually went so far as to reach up and pinch the bridge of his uncovered nose. It wasn't a big deal for Iruka to see Kakashi without his mask; he'd seen the usually hidden face more time than he could count over the years.

"Iruka… he's a grown man. A consenting adult. You can't go around and threaten everyone who's interested in him."

"He's not even out of his teens Kakashi", Iruka returned coldly, brown eyes hard as he stared his friend down. "I won't stand aside and let you hurt him as you please, I know how your relationships usually work out, remember."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like I'm the big bad wolf out to deflower the blushing virgin."

"And what makes you think he's not?"

Kakashi's snort was offending, but he went on speaking before Iruka could get a word in otherwise.

"I'm sorry to destroy your assumptions, but Naruto was with Sasuke for two years. I hardly think holding hands was the dirtiest thing they got down to." Iruka's growl told Kakashi all about how the younger man felt before that.

Kakashi sighed again. "All right. I'll indulge you… _for now_, and you tell me what you feel you need to tell me."

Iruka didn't need more prompting and launched into what he felt he needed to get out of his system. "I've known you for twelve years, Kakashi. I know that you don't do relationships. As I recall, the last time you tried the one involved with you died."

Kakashi winced at the barb, suppressing the urge to lash out as guilt and regret curled in his stomach. He knew that Iruka was only trying to look out for Naruto, really he did. That didn't mean that he wouldn't try his best to convince the protective brunet that his intentions were pure and innocent. Well mostly.

Knowing that the younger man couldn't read him as well as he'd like, Kakashi allowed himself to relax a little, his posture slumping against the doorframe.

"Do you also recall that the reason I engaged that person in a relationship to begin with was, among other things, to gather Intel?"

If Iruka's face was anything to go by, the Copy-nin wasn't pleading his case very well. "My point exactly", Iruka said, crossing his arms over his chest with a smug expression.

And suddenly Kakashi felt tired. He was tired fighting his long-time friend, he was tired battling the walls Naruto had erected around his heart and most of all he was tired of fighting his own, growing obsession with Konoha's resident jinchüriki.

"Alright, I give up. Tell me what you want; it's too early to keep this interrogation going." Iruka grew serious, leaving the hostile attitude behind as he rose from the sill and took a step closer to Kakashi, mindful of the multitude of threads between them.

"I just don't want you to hurt him. He's had enough of that for a lifetime." Iruka was nearly imploring, doing his best to convince his friend to just mind himself and don't make an even greater mess out of his object of attraction. Naruto had only recently begun to behave like himself again, it wouldn't be fair of Kakashi to throw him back into the same state Naruto had been in after breaking up with Sasuke.

"You know I can't promise that." Kakashi's voice was as solemn as his face, though his eyes were sincere and earnest as he kept his gaze locked with Iruka's. "I don't have any intentions to do it, but I'm just as lost as he is when it comes to this. Iruka…" Kakashi took a step forward, almost forgetting about the chakra threads until Iruka's hiss of warning stopped him from going further.

"I admit that my track record isn't the best, I can even go so far and say it out loud but… I have no intentions of hurting him." Voicing that stung, more than Kakashi would ever admit. Having to explain himself wasn't something he did on a regular basis, friend and subordinate notwithstanding.

Knowing this, Iruka couldn't help it when his face softened along with his eyes, the hand holding all the threads slowly lowering to his side.

"I understand Kakashi, I really do. It's just… You've seen what Sasuke did to him; he's much more fragile than he's letting on. Just… please be careful with him."

"I'm really not obligated at all to promise you anything. To be honest, and I'm rarely honest, I'm finding myself this close to call insubordination and kick you out. Nonetheless" Kakashi held up a hand when Iruka opened his mouth to protest, stalling the barrage of words Iruka no doubt was about to unleash on him. "I can understand the sentiment and I thank you on Naruto's behalf."

Tension eased from Iruka's frame, and he allowed himself to relax as he regarded the Copy-nin with something between distrust and begrudging belief. "You're just saying that to get me out of here, aren't you?"

Kakashi shrugged, unapologetic. "Partly. But mostly because my bladder is about to kill me and I'm a little afraid of traipsing my home right now."

Iruka's shoulders slumped in defeat and he released the chakra strings, a word from his lips and cutting off his chakra flow to them cancelling the deadly traps they were connected to. Knowing the man as well as he did, Iruka surmised that he wouldn't really get much further to get a solid promise out of Kakashi right at that moment.

He had been Kakashi's friend long enough to know that the Copy-nin would never hurt Naruto intentionally, Iruka's concerns aside. Aware of how much guilt Kakashi still carried with him, for friends and comrades since long lost to combat and time, Iruka didn't have it in him to keep pushing further.

Kakashi still blamed himself for his old teammate's death, after almost twenty years, along with the death of others and was firmly stuck in thinking that he didn't deserve happiness. This, of course, was ridiculous. Logic still didn't hinder the man from beating himself up over it and keeping himself from connecting with anyone. Until now it seemed. Iruka snorted quietly to himself. Leave it to Naruto to be able to make people open up, why had he even been worried to begin with?

"Alright. We do this your way. I'll back off and leave the two of you alone", he said and if his smile was a little strained, well that hardly mattered. Kakashi was great at reading between the lines, was something of a master really, and didn't need to hear the unspoken 'If-you-hurt-him-I-will-hunt-you-down-and-slowly-castrate-you-with-a-rusty-kunai' to catch Iruka's drift.

"Thanks. Am I allowed to go now? I really need to use the bathroom."

Iruka huffed amusedly. "Sure." He motioned to the closed toilet door. "Knock yourself out."

As Kakashi took a step in the aforementioned direction, Iruka's eyes widened when he spotted a chakra thread he'd forgotten about. While the rest had been handled by Iruka, he'd left one to span the space just outside Kakashi's bedroom door, totally independent of Iruka's chakra flow. It was rare of Kakashi to miss such a detail, to make any miss of that kind at all for that matter. Iruka later blamed Kakashi's bladder.

It happened in slow-motion; Kakashi walking over it, his foot stepping right on the thin wire and the snap of a trap being triggered resounding like a great gong in Iruka's head. He threw himself forward, towards Kakashi, yelling on the top of his lungs,

"NO! Wait until I can-!"

* * *

><p>When Naruto woke up that morning, it was with a wide smile on his face and sunshine in his eyes. Literally. What the hell? Groaning at the light mercilessly stabbing his eyeballs, Naruto rolled on his side, hands reaching up to cover his face.<p>

"I really need to move the damn bed", he muttered behind his hands, not knowing why he'd put it opposite the blind-less window to begin with. Naruto vaguely remembered nurturing a wish to wake up with the sun shining on him. Well seeing as this happened almost every day that idea could go to hell, if the pain coming from being blinded first thing every morning was the result.

Sighing deeply, Naruto squinted at the window as he rolled out of bed, yawning widely when he made his way to the bathroom. The morning progressed in his usual pattern. Take a shower, brush teeth, dress, eat breakfast – ramen, and if anyone had a problem with that it wasn't any of Naruto's concern. He ate what he damn well pleased in his own home, so there!

It wasn't until he grabbed his flak jacket from the hook besides the door, that the giddiness hit him. He shrugged it on with the same, wide smile he'd woken up with, humming a soft tune under his breath as he took his keys and opened the door, ready to go to the Tower and receive his first, official mission as an ANBU.

Naruto almost giggled. Him. ANBU. Uzumaki Naruto was an ANBU! If it hadn't happened only yesterday he'd be tempted to believe it had only been a dream. But as Tsunade's words still rang clear in his mind and Kakashi's husky chuckle still warmed his heart, Naruto knew it to be true.

A wave of happiness washed over him and he let a content chuckle escape him as he stepped outside. After Sasuke's betrayal – he refused to label it as anything else – he'd been so firm in his belief that he didn't want anything at all to do with anything related to romance ever again. But from this last month, having Kakashi – of all people! – show a clear interest in him, not as an asset to the village, not as a onetime thing and certainly not as the butt end of a joke, but as a _person_, Naruto had slowly started to believe in his heart again.

He had opened up to Sasuke, had let him closer than anyone else, and despite where it had landed him – in heartbreak and agony – it was still a little ironic where it had led him in the end. It still hurt, of course it did, but at the same time Naruto was a little thankful – irrational as it was though. If it hadn't been for Sasuke and his philandering, Naruto would never have considered applying for ANBU, he would've kept walking the old way.

Still, sometimes he wondered if the pain would ever go away. Sasuke had been a part of his life for so long, had been the biggest prime mover for him to grow stronger over the years. Could he ever get over that, even if he had somebody else by his side?

Kakashi wasn't exactly known for being open about himself or especially caring outside of his duty as a superior to care about his subordinates. Naruto couldn't recall ever seeing the Copy-nin interact with someone in a romantic manner before; only ever seeing him projecting distant amusement among his peers and friends.

During their month of training Naruto had told the older man a lot about himself, reluctantly at first but almost eager later. He'd revealed so much; about his hunted past before he became a genin, about his dreams and fears and hopes for the future. However, as soon as he'd tried to broach anything even remotely personal about Kakashi himself, the man had clammed up and steered the conversation in another direction.

So what did that say about Hatake Kakashi? Well for one, Naruto was probably right when he sensed deep commitment issues. For another, Kakashi held everyone – all of the people he knew – on an arm's length, kept them from becoming to close and personal with him. What had caused that? Furrowing his brows, Naruto resisted the urge to sigh deeply, his thoughts putting a damper on his good mood. Knowing these facts about Kakashi, how was Naruto supposed to know how serious Kakashi was? What were Kakashi's intentions towards him besides attraction?

He hated not to know where he stood; he'd had quite enough of that together with Sasuke; to not be able to know whether to go with his heart or his head. _What if… I leave my heart out of it this time? To only have a - _he grimaced_ – fuck-buddy and let myself be content with it? _Could he be in a causal relationship? Naruto had no idea; he'd never been in any other relationship aside from Sasuke. And he'd be damned before he'd let Kakashi treat him like Sasuke had.

Shaking off the impending depression, his smile returned once he got outside; it was a beautiful day after all. While the season had been unusual and warmer than last year, Christmas was around the corner and the temperature had started to drop; he'd even seen frost on his windows a few days ago. The air was crisp and cool despite the sun shining from a cloudless sky; it had finally started to feel like fall. While the Fire country rarely had snow – it only happened once every few years – it wasn't unusual that the grass was coated in a thin, sparkling layer of frost in the mornings, and the lakes iced over for a couple of weeks.

Naruto decided to leave his musings on Kakashi and love for now and instead live for the day and enjoy the happiness he felt while it lasted. He shouldn't have been so surprised, after having locked the door and turned around to start descending the stairs, that fate once again intervened and threw him a curve ball. His heart slammed to a break, stopping for a few, breathless minutes, blue eyes staring wide and disbelieving at Uchiha Sasuke, who was standing on the highest step of the stairs.

Naruto's heart found its beat again, only ten times faster than normal, and something close to nausea lurched in his stomach. A cold chill ran down his spine and he found himself holding his breath.

He hadn't seen Sasuke for a few weeks, all the more thankful for it now. Although it still hurt like a bitch, the pain was nowhere as fatal as it had first been. His body still cried out for the other man, wanting nothing more than to feel Sasuke's warmth and touch all over again, just for a minute. Naruto steeled himself, heart and soul, to be able to face the source of his heartbreak and not crumble under the calm, black-eyed scrutiny.

"…Sasuke. Hi", Naruto greeted at length, suddenly feeling too awkward and clumsy. It pissed him off. Here he was, newly made ANBU and had one of Konoha's most eligible bachelors wanting him, just to have it come back, all the pain and agony, at the mere sight of his ex-boyfriend. He should've greeted Sasuke with silence, met him with icy regard and an indifferent attitude. But his stupid heart refused to listen.

_Too soon_, it whispered and gave a painful throb, longing shooting through Naruto whole body with an intensity so strong and unwanted it left Naruto reeling. The sudden sense of vertigo left him spinning; he didn't even notice the small stumble as he took a shaky step towards the last Uchiha, mind and heart waging war against each other.

The scent filling his nose pulled him back, granted him equilibrium as the smell of vanilla, leather and _Sasuke_ flowed into him. The hand supporting his elbow burned through his dark blue, standard issue shirt, scalding against his skin.

"Naruto… are you alright?" The rarely displayed concern, thinly veiled behind the usual, blank mask got the blond back to himself, and he all but tore himself away.

Too close, Sasuke was way _too close_ and he didn't want it, didn't want him anywhere near and Naruto's heart was beating so hard, he was sure that Sasuke could hear it and then he would _know _and that was the last thing Naruto wanted then and Kakashi would be so sad, wouldn't he? Would he even care to never get to go on that date and-

"Naruto?"

"Wha-?" Startled eyes met calm black, the azure irises so vivid and filled to the brim with all the conflicting emotions running amok inside of Naruto.

Sasuke's frown was almost discernible, but it was there none the less. "Are you alright?" he repeated, not coming any closer, to Naruto's great relief.

"Yes I'm…" Naruto had to pause and take a deep breath, shuffling a bit further away. Still too close. "I'm fine." He looked down at his hands, flaxen brows furrowed in confusion when he looked up again, holding back on a flinch as he met Sasuke's inquiring gaze head on. "What" he had to clear his throat and swallow before he could carry on "what are you doing here?"

Sasuke leaned back against the railing caging the landing behind him, loosely folding his arms over his chest, the perfect display of calm nonchalance. "Just thought I'd stop by and take a look at your new place… It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Not long enough, Naruto wanted to say. "Really? I've been a little busy so I haven't really noticed", was what came out instead, accompanied by a wide, fake grin – as fake as it could get – as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Sasuke's right brow arched. "You're lying", he stated bluntly.

Naruto's smile faltered and a scowl overtook his features. "How would you know?"

"I know you." Sasuke's shrug was as casual as the rest of him. It pissed Naruto off, the pain in his heart leaving room for the anger which had never really faded.

"You don't know everything." It was close to a growl, pressed out from between gritted teeth. Steeling himself, Naruto tried to breeze past Sasuke, doing his best to appear unruffled and distant. Sasuke could never know how hard his heart was beating, how it felt like he had a million Kyuubis in his stomach, all trying to claw their way out of him simultaneously.

Sasuke just grabbed his arm when Naruto was passing by, halting his steps and his brain with that one move. Before Naruto could snap at Sasuke to get his hands off him, Sasuke placed a hand in the center of Naruto's chest and pushed. He didn't stop until Naruto's back connected with the wall, efficiently pinning the shorter boy against the hard surface.

"What the hell is your problem?" Naruto hissed, struggling to get free and away from the Uchiha. Sasuke wasn't stronger than him damn it, why did his hold feel like it was constricting Naruto's every move? Cursing at his own weakness, that he deep down didn't want to hurt Sasuke by applying unnecessary strength, the blond was totally blown away with shock when Sasuke's lips suddenly took his own in a brutal kiss.

Momentarily stunned, Naruto froze and timed seemed to slow down. His brain all but screamed at him to get away, to use some of the more than ample amount of chakra in his body to break Sasuke's hold and run. But old habits die hard and it had only been one month since their break up. Naruto eyes burned and his mind spun when his body slowly responded; triggered by the familiar scent and feel of Sasuke so close and warm against him.

"Just a small reminder, Naruto. I'm not going anywhere." The smooth voice in his ear when Sasuke pulled away sent shivers down Naruto spine. It had been so long and he'd missed this so much. It was the hand suddenly slipping under the hem of his jacket and shirt, scorching hot against his skin that pulled him back into reality.

Naruto bared his teeth to the side of Sasuke's head, refraining from taking a chunk out of his ear. "I don't care." Yanking hard, Naruto succeeded to get out of Sasuke's grip and slipped past him, turning to face him once free.

"You say that but the way you kissed me back just now says otherwise", Sasuke murmured with the smirk that made Naruto weak in the knees and drove him crazy at the same time.

Out of a good way to retort, the blond resorted to something that would most likely not drive Sasuke away, but was blunt enough to get the point home. Hopefully.

"Stay the hell away from me", Naruto all but snarled, bearing a striking similarity with the entity trapped in his belly in that moment. Afraid of showing how hard the raven's words had hit him, Naruto didn't stick around to hear Sasuke's response, but bolted from the landing, jumping up at the neighboring roof to escape. He missed the way Sasuke's eyes glimmered and how the smirk widened.

"I don't think so."

* * *

><p>Still angry with himself and Sasuke too, Naruto entered Tsunade's office in the usual way: through the window. Ignoring the Hokage's annoyed shouts of 'Not a fucking door! When the hell will you all learn' and so on, he saw his new team also waiting for him; this time in their normal attires but noticed that Kakashi and Iruka both looked a little… ragged.<p>

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked and eyed them with evident curiosity; looking even more intrigued as they both blushed; albeit Iruka more than Kakashi but the silver-haired jounin's cheek – the little part you could see – was still at little pink.

"Nothing", they responded simultaneous and ignored the interested glances this answer triggered.

"You shouldn't play with explosives the first thing in the morning. Troublesome way to wake up", Shikamaru said around a wide yawn, shoulders sagging as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink and was on the verge of falling asleep where he stood, lids half-mast over tired, brown eyes.

He was discreetly leaning on Neji, who looked as impassive as usual, though his eyes glimmered with amusement when he glanced in Kakashi and Iruka's direction. Iruka glared at them both but kept his mouth firmly shut, knowing that Kakashi wouldn't appreciate if he told them why they'd showed up and looking like fresh out of a fight.

"You know what?" Naruto said loudly, breaking the tense silence as he ambled up to stand beside Kakashi "I don't even want to know."

Kakashi glanced at him, taking note of the way Naruto was pressing his lips together and the muscle twitching in his jaw. Something had happened before he came here, something that had left Naruto upset. Kakashi suspected, rightly in doing so, that it had to do with Sasuke, as nothing like the last Uchiha could rile Naruto up as much.

This was not the right moment to bring that up however, and Kakashi stored the questions he wanted to ask to later, when he could ask Naruto without their team standing around them.

The Fifth regarded them all with fond exasperation, waiting for Shikamaru to at least look like he was listening and for Iruka to stop glaring. Before she opened her mouth she stared at them for a long while, taking in the sight of them over the hands she had folded over her mouth. Seemingly pleased with whatever conclusion she came to, Tsunade dropped her hands and gave a small smile.

"So, now that you seem a bit more alert today, let's talk about all the things that comes with being in ANBU", Tsunade finally said and directed herself solely at Naruto.

"I know you've worked undercover Ops before, Naruto, you can think of you starting to work in the mission room, as a supervising jounin tomorrow, as that." She paused and waited until Naruto nodded before she continued. "Most of ANBU has a daytime job, to lower the suspicions from their other rank. It's expected of you to still take on regular missions aside from the ones you'll go on as ANBU."

Sensing the serious mood, Naruto nodded again. "Yes, Hokage-sama." He had to refrain from laughing when Tsunade got a pinched look on her face, still not used to him being polite to her, or anyone for that matter.

"Today you will meet with Tiger at the ANBU headquarters. He's a very capable man whom I think highly of and I trust you to do nothing but greet him with the outmost respect." A pointed look had Naruto standing just a tad straighter. "Kakashi will show you the way and introduce you to the headquarters; he is also the one who will be your mentor during your apprenticeship. It's a term of three months where you will learn everything you can, because you won't be a permanent member of team 13."

That surprised Naruto. He'd thought he wouldn't get assigned to another team, that he would belong to team 13 after his internship was done. Tsunade chuckled at his startled face and cocked a finely manicured brow.

"What? You thought that we would put one of our most powerful and competent shinobi on a team already full of brilliant men?" She snorted as she shook her head. "No. I have a team in mind for you already…" She trailed off, eyes distant for a moment before she carried on.

"I'll leave the rest of training explanations to Kakashi, as your supervisor. Now, do you have any idea of the different kind of fields ANBU work in?"

"Not really." Naruto shrugged a little sheepishly but no one berated him for his ignorance. ANBU was a closed and tightly secured organization; they guarded their secrets jealously and fiercely. They would've been shocked if he had known anything besides the usual bull outsiders always speculated on.

"Well aside from the obvious, such as surveillance, intelligence gathering and various guarding mission, we also operate in dispatching targets, tracking and apprehending wanted criminals, hunting lost objects and occasionally… _retrieving_ important items."

All in all it sounded like everything Naruto had imagined, though he was able to hide the small wince at the assassination part. He'd known that it existed, knew that the possibility of him being one of those dispatchers someday soon was very real. It still didn't mean that he liked the prospect of the thought, even with the path he'd decided to put his feet upon. That's what a shinobi essentially was after all, a killer for hire.

Tsunade's eyes were kind and a little sad, making him aware that he maybe hadn't been as subtle as he'd wanted to be. "Have you put any deeper thought into whether you want to specialize yourself in any of these fields?"

"I have", the blond responded with a quick glance at the Copy-nin by his side. Kakashi kept his eyes firmly trained on their ultimate superior, face blank as the surface of a still lake behind his mask. Naruto shifted ever so slightly, feeling like all eyes were on him as he replied.

"I was thinking that I want to know more about… _dispatching_ and intelligence gathering", Naruto said firmly, enunciating the first field just as Tsunade had done. A lengthy silence stretched out, Tsunade's face as unreadable as Kakashi's as she looked at him, long and hard.

Behind him, Shikamaru had straightened from his usual slouch, his eyes bright and a little worried. Neji had shifted too, keeping himself impassive on the outside while his mind processed the jinchüriki's proclamation. Iruka was the one who had the guts to ask what they all were thinking.

"Are you really sure, Naruto?" He asked warily. "The dispatchers handle the hardest missions and are the one's suffering most damage, both physical and mental, don't you think that-"

"I've been thinking about it since the day I decided to try. I actually believe that there's nothing I'm more suited for, to be honest", the jinchüriki stated; the lilt of his voice and eyes cool and determined. Kakashi and Tsunade traded an indecipherable look, the blond woman reaching up to rub a finger between her eyebrows when their gazes dropped.

"You always were the most troublesome brat I've ever come across", she sighed but then gave Naruto a gentle smile.

"It's your own choice and as your leader I can only warn you to be cautious and listen to Kakashi, he's our resident dispatch expert. You're only ready when he says you are."

The Copy-nin gave a curt nod at the sideways glance from the Fifth, blank and stoic as you please even when a sense of unease and elation was waging war inside of him. As a longtime ANBU member and dispatcher since young, Kakashi knew exactly what Naruto was getting up against. Change was unconditional; Naruto would never be the same after his first dispatch Op.

Assassination required a special type of breed; a mind where you knew how to suppress the killer off duty and how to change back into it once out in the field. All shinobi faced death regularly, but only ANBU were sent out to deliberately go and take lives, sometimes innocent ones but mostly those of hardened criminals and generally bad people – and getting paid for it.

Kakashi had, to this day, not felt guilty over each of the lives he'd ended, even the ones that had really deserved it. He'd lost count since long ago, but now and then a face and a name would flash in his mind and haunt him, chasing him out of his home to wander the village or stand in front of the Memorial stone, sending payers of forgiveness to the heavens for what he'd done.

Kakashi didn't doubt that Naruto would be able to go through with it or continue in doing so; he just worried over what it would do to the kindhearted jinchüriki in the long run. Knowing Naruto, he'd never back down when he'd already made up his mind, so the best they all could do once it was time for the blond to kill for the very first time, was to be there for him.

And beside the worry and agony for his blond obsession, was the elation he felt before the prospect of getting to be so close to Naruto for three months. They would be training and working together, it could be the best chance Kakashi had ever gotten to deepen and strengthen the bond between them, to make Naruto really see how serious the Copy-nin had become about him.

It also made him feel even guiltier, adding to the amount already haunting him. Kakashi was jostled out of his thoughts when Tsunade's voice spoke up again, forcing the silver-haired man to pay attention to what was going on around him.

"During your time as an apprentice, your codename will be Yellow." Naruto's raised eyebrows had Tsunade smirking. "It felt the most… fitting. Any questions so far?"

"No, I think I got everything."

"Good. Then I'm leaving you in Kakashi's capable hands." She didn't take notice of Naruto's or Iruka's light blushes or the Copy-nin's smug grin stretching the fabric of his mask at the insinuating words, but focused on the mountain of paperwork towering at her left elbow.

"Get going now, Tiger is waiting for both of you." She opened a folder in front of her, jotting down a few sentences before she snapped it closed and held it out for Naruto. He took it but didn't open it; he already knew that it only contained information of his status as a ninja.

It was required of him to leave it to the ANBU commander when he went to meet him, because of trusting the sensitive information with someone else, Tsunade had always preferred to let the one involved handle the folder handing themselves instead.

Kakashi rightly assumed that as they'd been dismissed and turned to his team. "Alright, I'll take Yellow here to the HQ, the rest of you are due for training at area sixteen, don't be late."

They all groaned. Or well, Iruka did. Neji just looked as stoic as ever, nodding in acceptance while Shikamaru grunted through a yawn, clearly not looking forward to it. Taking their lazy teammate by one elbow each, Iruka and Neji gave them a nod before they teleported away in swirl of leafs, leaving Naruto to stand beside Kakashi.

Nodding to Tsunade, who gave a distracted wave in return, Kakashi and Naruto turned to the window, getting ready to exit through when Tsunade stopped them.

"Try to exit through there and you'll both be stripped of your ranks and degraded to genin", she said casually _sotto voce_ without looking up from the papers spread out in front of her.

Both men stiffened momentarily before turning around and walking towards the door. Naruto mumbled to Kakashi, loud enough for Tsunade to pick up,

"Isn't threatening subordinates a crime? It's unethical right?"

"I believe it is", Kakashi muttered back,

"You got any complaints?" Tsunade barked as she slammed a fist down on the desk, the wood cracking under the force.

"Nothing baa-chan you must be getting too old when you start to hear things, bye!" Naruto didn't wait for the answer but hurried out of the door; Kakashi following close behind.

"Nothing Hokage-sama, have a good day!"

Tsunade gave a satisfied grunt before she yelled after Shizune about getting a new desk – for the third time that week.

* * *

><p>Kakashi led Naruto through the village; projecting his usual image as he was walking with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a dog eared copy of the first Icha Icha. Naruto was content to remain silent by the Copy-nin's side, enjoying the beautiful day as the village hustled and bustled around them.<p>

They ventured from the Hokage Tower towards the south district, where Naruto knew Kakashi lived. The silver-haired man was not headed home, however, when he took a right turn down a narrow alley, coming to a stop when it winded up in a dead end. Naruto stared at the grimy brick wall for a minute, cocking his head in confusion.

"Please tell me this isn't some sort of test", Naruto pleaded, turning his blue eyes to regard Kakashi imploringly.

Kakashi chuckled as he pocketed his book, giving the pouch where he kept it a light pat as he closed it. "Even if it was, you wouldn't get a say in it", he informed Naruto, ignoring the way the blond pouted petulantly. "The entry is hidden by a genjutsu. You disable it by pressing here." Kakashi showed Naruto a brick that was a shade lighter than the rest, high up on the wall. Only a shinobi would be able to reach it, as Kakashi demonstrated when he walked up the wall to press down on the brick with his foot.

The wall shimmered and a door appeared a moment later, plain brown and weather battered. Naruto eyed it dubiously. "Y'know… if this is the only door ANBU could afford I'm starting to wonder if I should just remain a jounin. At least then I know the lounge will be comfortable."

Kakashi chuckled again when he dropped down beside Naruto, giving him a patronizing cuff at the back of his head. "Have I taught you nothing? Underneath the underneath, ring any bells?" Gently elbowing Naruto out of the way, Kakashi stepped forward and pressed his hand against a spot halfway up on the right side of the doorframe, activating a hidden seal. It flared up, its design and purpose something Naruto had never seen before.

"This seal is keyed into every ANBU members' chakra signature, yours will be too once your three month period is up. You can break the genjutsu and reveal the door easily, but you can't force it open without alerting two thirds of the village in the process."

The blond looked suitably impressed, nodding as he took in all of the information. The door creaked open and the seal vanished again, letting them in to the end of a long, wide corridor. The insides were far more impressive than the outside had led Naruto to believe; the white painted walls and shiny floors well-kept and pristine.

Doors lined the hallway on both sides, and Naruto wondered why ANBU could possibly need that many rooms. Stilling his curiosity, Naruto silently trekked after the Copy-nin until the other end of the hallway ended in what could only be a lounge area. On the left side a wide walkway continued on in yet another corridor, and Naruto wondered just how big the place really was.

Despite the worn out look of the furniture in the lounge, a mismatch of chairs, tables, couches and armchairs, they did seem quite comfortable. A coffee machine sat in state in the corner to his right, just beside a narrow doorway, that revealed leading to a small kitchenette when Naruto poked his head inside to take a closer look.

The room was at the moment empty but the blond had no problems picturing the lounge filled with ANBU resting, eating or just lazing around in the relaxed atmosphere. He knew he wouldn't have any trouble enjoying spending time in there.

"This is the lounge", Kakashi told him superfluously "and the doors out there", he waved back at the way they'd come "are dorms for those of us who prefers to live here. Each room is small but sufficiently equipped with attached bathrooms and basic furniture."

Leading Naruto down the hallway to the left, he stopped a few paces down, standing before another nondescript, brown door. Pressing his hand against the frame beside the knob, in the same manner as he'd done with the front door, it opened to reveal for Naruto a staircase leading downwards, the scent of chilled and slightly stale air wafting over them.

"The basement is made up of two levels; the upper houses the armory, the reports archive and meeting rooms. The lower level is holding cells for criminals waiting to be transferred to the prison and interrogation rooms."

Noting the doubtful way Naruto eyed the stairs when he heard that the armory was so close to cells housing criminals, Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "Don't worry, the jail area only got one entrance and the only way in are to be keyed in on the same seal as this one and the front door."

"Sounds complicated", Naruto mused as he followed Kakashi further down the corridor, stopping right behind the older man when Kakashi came to a halt in front of the last door on the right side.

"Kinda necessary when it's a secret organization which is supposed to remain concealed." He reached out and knocked twice on the door, as plain as every other they'd walked past. A voice bid them to enter and the blond had to remind himself of 'underneath the underneath' again when Kakashi opened the door and stepped inside.

The big office with bookshelves lining all walls but one, where a wide window spanned over almost the whole wall, remaining one with a large, sturdy looking desk placed in front it, had managed to hide itself behind the unadorned door after all.

Tiger was seated behind the desk, mask firmly in place as he was going through a pile of folders resting at his right elbow. Two chairs were placed in front of the desk and they took their seats when Tiger motioned for them to sit down, without looking up from his paperwork.

Naruto perched on the edge of his chair as opposed to Kakashi, who sprawled out over his, looking as casual as you please.

"So… Uzumaki Naruto." Tiger's voice was deep, low and strangely familiar, though Naruto couldn't quite place it. Nodding silently when Tiger finally raised his head to level his eyes on him, Naruto gave the file in his hand to his new commander, getting a curt nod in thanks.

"Our newest trainee… you did an exceptional job yesterday at the exam, or so Kakashi told me."

"Yes, thank you sir."

"I believe Tsunade-sama have informed you of everything you need to now regarding your duties and what's expected of you as an ANBU?"

"Yes sir, she did", the blond said; meeting the eyes behind the snarling mask.

"Good. However, I want to emphasize how important it is for you to not reveal your status to anyone; both for your own as well for the safety of the village and your comrades. I am also fairly certain that you, as the Yondaime Hokage's heir, are aware that you have enemies all over the elemental countries… Enemies that won't hesitate to use whatever means possible to come over information of the last living Namikaze, I might add." Tiger paused and leveled Naruto with a grave stare.

"I am…" Naruto said a little hesitant. While he hadn't known about his parentage for longer than a couple of years, that time had taught him just what their former enemies-turned-allies still thought of his dad and his actions in the war, after almost two decades. Suna wasn't a problem at all, Gaara and Naruto had seen to that, but the rest of them… Naruto shifted a little uncomfortable in his chair, glad that he would have a mask to shield his real identity.

Despite his mother's genes making him not quite his father's clone, the resemblance was still spooky and only an idiot would be able to take one look at Uzumaki Naruto and not make the connection to Namikaze Minato.

Tiger nodded somberly. "I see that you are aware. As long as you keep that in mind it will not become an issue" the ANBU commander assured him. Snapping the file open, Tiger quickly read it through, taking a sheet out of it that he placed on top of the folder when he closed it again.

"You wish to specialize in dispatching and intelligence gathering", Tiger hummed, almost to himself. A quick glance that felt a little too penetrating and Tiger was back to reading the sheet. "Kakashi really is the perfect choice as your handler for the next months."

"Thanks", Kakashi piped up from behind his Icha Icha, having whipped it out the moment Tiger had started speaking to Naruto.

"You'll train and go on mission with team 13 but I will stress the point of following Kakashi's every order to the dot. You are not a full member yet. It is both yours and Kakashi's responsibility to not put your team in any kind of jeopardy. Well, not more than usual", Tiger amended as he folded his hand atop of the sheet of paper.

Naruto nodded again. "Yes sir, I will." The words were firm, seemingly pleasing the commander as he dipped his head curtly in response.

"I will also schedule some sessions with Panther and Monkey when team 13 are on a mission where you cannot follow; they are our best body disposals and with the path you've chosen it is in your best interest to learn from another source than Kakashi. They are also some of the finest Hunter nins in this village, they will teach you well."

A pang of anxiety and excitement shot through Naruto at the words; he was both dreading and looking forward to meeting with some of the finest at the same time.

"Thank you sir, I'll do my best", Naruto said through a smile, head turning to Kakashi when the Copy-nin pocketed his book and got to his feet.

"That's all right?"

Tiger gave them a wave of his hand, leaning back in his chair. "For now. Go easy on him tomorrow, Kakashi, we don't want him to give up before the first weeks is ending."

Kakashi chuckled. "I make no promises." Giving a sloppy salute, Kakashi sauntered out of the office, leaving Naruto to stammer a hasty goodbye to Tiger before he scrambled after the silver-haired man. Shaking his head at Kakashi and his quirky mannerisms, he went back to reading reports and signing papers.

* * *

><p>"So, what do you think?" Kakashi was walking a step ahead of Naruto back towards the center of Konoha, dodging around people venturing between shops, food stalls and market stands, the hustle of the day becoming more pronounced around them the closer they came to the city core.<p>

"I don't really know what to think", Naruto replied behind him, giving small apologies whenever he bumped into someone. He only received scowls in return but ignored those in favor of catching up with Kakashi. "The commander seemed nice and even though I didn't see anyone else but him, the atmosphere at the HQ felt… warm and welcoming."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "And you don't feel anxious at all? Going on missions with us, meeting _some of the finest in the village?"_ he wondered, mockingly emphasizing Tiger's words.

"It scares the living daylights out of me", Naruto answered with a shit eating grin, grabbing Kakashi's right sleeve when a woman shoved past him with an angry grunt, the dark glare directed at him ignored by both of them.

"Good", Kakashi drawled when he put his arm around Naruto's shoulder, steering him in direction of the market. "Panther and Monkey isn't people I'd like to have as enemies, I hope that you won't do anything to piss them off. I still have the scars from the last time they got angry at me."

Naruto gave Kakashi a horrified look, snuggling a little closer to his side unconsciously in the crowded streets. "You actually mean that there's people you're afraid of?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I wouldn't say _afraid_… more like wary and careful about limbs on my person of which I'm really attached to."

Naruto was almost dying of curiosity by now, wanting to know what Kakashi had done. "Oh you gotta tell me what you did! It's not fair to be that vague."

Smiling down at the blue eyes, dancing with mischievousness, Kakashi sighed theatrically. "I was only my usual, charming self, minding my own business and all that. How could I know that they were hiding in the bush which Pakkun decided to mark his territory on?"

Laughing out loud, deep and rich and carefree, Naruto had to stop and wipe the tears from his eyes. "You did so know that they were there, you lying bastard!" Naruto accused, his smile bright enough to make Kakashi's heart stutter in his chest. It was so good to see Naruto so happy, to see his eyes alight with mirthful delight.

"Maybe", he conceded with a smirk. Taking a quick glance around, Kakashi's arm firmed around Naruto's shoulder and before the blond could say "what?" he had them both tucked into a narrow alley, Naruto pressed up against the cool bricks. The smile slowly faded from his face, eyes growing more serious and a little hazy from the heat in Kakashi's one-eyed gaze.

Keeping their gazes locked, Kakashi slowly hooked a finger on the edge of his mask and lowered it, leaning closer to Naruto; who held his breath in anticipation. Every time the older man showed his face it made Naruto a little weak in his knees. Part of it was from the thrill of the rare view, growing more and more familiar, and another was the knowledge stemming from that Naruto was one of the few who actually knew Kakashi's face intimately.

Pressing a light kiss to the corner of Naruto's mouth, Kakashi moved his lips along the scarred cheek down to the sharp sweep of a jawbone, trailing light pecks along the edge up to a soft earlobe. Exhaling slowly, the warm breath of air sending shivers down Naruto's spine as molten heat pooled in his loins, Kakashi purred in his ear,

"So… how about that date?" Licking the lobe before gently taking it between his lips and sucking, Kakashi relished in the way Naruto's breath hitched and the hands coming up to a desperate hold on the back of his flak vest.

"You have the lousiest timing", Naruto complained, giving a small whine when Kakashi surreptitiously slid a hand down to cop a feel at the tantalizing ass he'd been craving to get his hands on for over a month already. "How can you want to talk at a time like this?"

Kakashi paused, thinking. "… you're right. Let's talk about it in a while", the Copy-nin then murmured huskily, moving his mouth from Naruto's ear to capture his parted lips in a chaste kiss. A small groan escaped Naruto's throat when the kiss quickly grew dirtier, a hot tongue trailing his lips only to slip in between them and caress his own, the slick slide deliciously slow and sensual. It was like an explosion of pleasure emitting from his mouth and reaching every part of his body; not leaving one single nerve unaffected.

The surrounding world slipped away and his senses were filled with Kakashi; his scent, the feeling of his hard, toned body pressed against his own, slender fingers slowly creeping under the hem of his vest and shirt in order to caress his skin. Naruto was bathing in heat and fire and desire as he divulged in the feeling of Kakashi so close, so wanting. It had never felt like this before; never this intense or mind-blowing, and feared mingled with the pleasure.

The brief encounter with Sasuke earlier that morning came back with a vengeance, making Naruto's heart clench painfully. How could he feel this strong for Kakashi, to not want anything else in that moment than to become one with him, to be consumed and drowned and devoured, when he'd wanted the same with his ex-lover, mere hours before?

How could he trust himself when he was so terrified of giving in completely to Kakashi? How could he trust himself to just… go with it and still come out of it with his heart intact? Still, he whined with loss as Kakashi's lips left him with small pecks in goodbye, and slowly opened his eyes when the older man rested his forehead against his; hot puffs of air caressing his face.

As if sensing his internal struggle and needing to placate him, Kakashi whispered, "You have no idea what you're doing to me, do you?"

Smiling, Naruto replied, "Not really… I can't really imagine you becoming worked up or flustered over something as simple as lust."

Kakashi hid the small twitch at Naruto's words, a frown knitting his brows as he took a step back and pulled his mask back in place. Did Naruto really think that little of him? That he couldn't feel anything else for him besides lust? Kakashi schooled his face, letting nothing of his disturbed feeling at the blond's wording show when he tried to act as casual as Naruto apparently thought he was about him.

"You never know", he said with a small shrug, hands going into his pockets. "About that date…" He carried on before Naruto could spew more of his misconceptions, rocking back in his heels and forcing some cheer into his voice. He was good at lies, good at faking and pretending to be whatever he wasn't. He'd done it all of his life; making Naruto believe he hadn't been a little hurt by his assumption would not be a hardship.

"I have to make some last minute arrangements. I'll come and pick you up in a few hours, how's that sound?"

Cocking his head, Naruto regarded him with unbridled curiosity. "You're not going to tell me what it is?"

"Nah, I think I'll let it remain a surprise for now." Turning his back on Naruto, Kakashi threw a wave over his shoulder as he made to get back out onto the street. "And wear something casual!" he tossed back in a last reply before he was gone, leaving Naruto to stand and stare after him and wonder why he felt like he'd done something incredible stupid.

* * *

><p>Hours later, at the break of dusk and after multiple changes of clothes, Naruto was sitting on his couch, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt and picking at the denim enclosing his thighs. His eyes were constantly darting to and away from the clock ticking away on the shelf above the TV, his right leg jerking up and down.<p>

It felt like he'd tried on his entire wardrobe – which wasn't that big – before he'd been able to decide on a simple, black t-shirt and his nicest jeans, comfortable and worn from years of use. He'd been a little sad to see that they still fit him perfectly; he'd most likely never grow taller than his "5.9' and that he would remain a steady, fit 135 lbs. Well, Naruto figured that it could've been worse.

He wasn't exactly bulky but his slender body still packed a lot of muscle; he was in no way or manner weak or thin, it was at least something to be content with. Stopping his leg from jerking so much, he reached up to fiddle with the necklace Tsunade had given him all those years ago, pulled out to rest on top of his t-shirt for once, instead of remaining tucked underneath as he usually kept it.

He eyed the clock again, cursing when only another three minutes had passed by since the last time he'd checked. A scratching noise from the door had Naruto almost jumping out of his skin and he was up and throwing it open in three seconds flat, his best glare directed at… nothing.

Puzzled and not so little put out; Naruto looked back and forth outside the door, coming up with nothing but the dimly lit landing and a cat slinking down the stairs. Someone cleared their throat and Naruto looked down at his feet, meeting lazy, half-lidded brown eyes.

"Yo", Pakkun greeted with his usual aplomb, where he was sitting on his haunches on Naruto's doorstep.

"He sent you as my date?" Naruto deadpanned, earning himself an eye roll and an annoyed huff from the brown pug.

"Even Kakashi wouldn't be that lazy", Pakkun sighed. He rose to his feet and bent his neck, revealing the note attached to the back of his collar. "He sent you a message." Naruto knew how much Pakkun loved to point out the obvious, but didn't comment on it as he bent down to retrieve the note.

_'Meet me at the gates. We're going out.'_

"No really?" Naruto voiced sarcastically.

"He's waiting for you", Pakkun supplied unnecessarily, without taking his eyes off of Naruto face. Feeling a little self-conscious at the dog's penetrating stare, Naruto started to fidget with his necklace again.

"What?" He asked at length, not able to take the scrutinizing silence any longer.

"Nothing much… but we will have words about your intentions towards Kakashi later", Pakkun addressed him somberly before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Naruto was left gaping after him, stunned with disbelief and bafflement. _His _intentions? Pakkun had infused that word with so many meanings, Naruto had a hard time figuring them all out as he took a jacket and headed out, thinking about the dog's implications all through his walk to the gates.

What had Pakkun meant? Wasn't Kakashi the one with the muddled intentions? Naruto hadn't wanted Kakashi's advancements to begin with, who was the Copy-nin's nin-kin to question him? Naruto's mood turned sour, his mouth downturned in an unhappy frown as he came to a halt before the gates. Unsurprisingly, Kakashi wasn't there. Only the guards in the booth, some late travelers going out through the gates, a team of shinobi checking in from a mission and a man leaning against the shaded side of the booth; his silver hair-

Naruto did a double take, eyes wide as he stared at Kakashi, it could not be anyone else really, not with that wild mane of silver-hair atop of his head. It was, actually, Kakashi, as it turned out when the older man spotted him and dropped his arms from where he'd had them crossed over his chest, giving a smile as he came closer to Naruto.

The blond couldn't help it; he gaped. It was Kakashi, but a Kakashi he'd never seen before. He was without his mask, to begin with, his handsome visage and dimples bared for the world to see. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans, form fitting and hugging his hips in a most distractingly manner. A simple, white button-down shirt were visible through the open leather jacket, the black and smooth material offsetting the grey hue of his visible eye and making his hair shine like polished silver.

He was without his forehead protector, letting the natural fall of his hair flop down over the left side of his face, hiding the Sharingan underneath it. He was so handsome right there, the dim light from the street lamps shrouding him half in shadows; the soft darkness shifting over him as he moved like a lover's caress.

Naruto's aching lungs forced him to exhale noisily and he sucked in a breath of new air when Kakashi came to a halt before him, his right brow sardonically arched.

"You're gonna start catching flies soon if you don't close your mouth, Naruto." Kakashi was kind enough for once to not call Naruto on his rude gaping. Snapping out of his stupor, Naruto felt a faint flush creep up his neck, and he cleared his throat a little embarrassedly.

"Sorry… you just look so…"

"Handsome? Dashing? Fatally attractive?" Kakashi interjected cheekily, making Naruto smile.

"Not like yourself", he answered, an amused chuckle bubbling up inside of him when Kakashi's shoulders slumped dramatically.

"And here I was waiting for awed compliments on my great appearance. To think that I went through four changes of clothes just to be shot down by you." He clutched the jacket above his heart, making a swooning motion that was so ridiculously out of character, Naruto couldn't help but laugh.

"You're a lying bastard, I'm sure you already knew what to wear", Naruto accused good-naturedly as Kakashi slung an arm around his shoulders and steered him out of the gates, tossing a casual wave at the guards in the booth on their way out.

The darkness outside the lit gates enclosed them, a half-full moon guiding their steps along the wide dirt road cutting through the dense forest cradling Konoha in its middle.

"Alright, I may have had the outfit ready to go yesterday", Kakashi agreed "but you like it nonetheless?"

"And now you're fishing for compliments", Naruto said, shaking his head even as he snuggled a little closer to Kakashi's side, seeking the warmth radiating from the older man as a chilly wind swept over them. "Alright, who are you and what have you done with Kakashi?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure. So if you're really him… mention his favorite food, the color of his underwear and which volume of Icha Icha had a scene where the hero fell naked out of a closet, clutching a rubber duck and a cucumber to his chest?" Naruto mocked in an echo of their first meeting to come up with Naruto's training schedule. The Copy-nin threw his head back and laughed, the hand holding Naruto close to him squeezing gently.

It was the first time Naruto had heard Kakashi laugh like that; he sounded years younger and so carefree, it was really fascinating. He'd never thought he'd get to experience the other sides of Kakashi; the playful, teasing parts that weren't out to ridicule or make fun of others for his own, evil enjoyment.

"Well if you're that curious", Kakashi managed to say through bounds of chortles "My favorite food is salt-boiled saury and miso-soup with eggplant" He ignored Naruto's disgusted face "the scene you're referring to – which was very funny by the way – can be found in Icha Icha Violence, volume four and…" Here he leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of Naruto's ear, making goose-bumps break out over his whole body as he all but purred, "I'm not wearing any underwear."

Thankful for the dark that hid his furious blush, Naruto nudged Kakashi's side with his shoulder, smiling teasingly at him. "You just wanted to tell me that and was looking for an excuse, you pervert."

"True", Kakashi told him happily, pressing a brief kiss at the crown of Naruto's head before looking back at the road.

"So", Naruto said after a minute or so of silence. "Where are you taking me? Not that I'm complaining or anything, but we're in the middle of the woods and I just know that you didn't take me out here to ravage me. I think."

Kakashi smiled again, a softening of his mouth that made the dimples on his cheeks deepen charmingly. "As enticing as _that _image is… You'll just have to wait and see."

* * *

><p>Hours later, Naruto was standing outside his door again. Or rather, he was pressed up against the wall beside it, being kissed within an inch of his life by Kakashi. They were making little noises of want and pleasure, Kakashi's hands having crept under the hem of Naruto's jacket and t-shirt a while ago, the nimble fingers and broad palms caressing warm and smooth skin.<p>

It was the culmination of a perfect night; Naruto still had a hard time remembering that it'd happened to him.

Kakashi had taken Naruto to a temple festival in a small, neighboring village, not more than a speck on the map, really, and Naruto had never had so much fun before. They'd wandered the busy main street, had bought different kinds of food and played some games in some of the stalls housing those. He'd even won Naruto a giant teddy bear by tossing rings around several bottles; his aim straight and true even without the aid of chakra.

They'd wandered the area for almost two hours, chatting and laughing all the while. For the first time in a really long while, Naruto had been able to walk a festival without the usual accosting stares and harsh whispers. Nobody had known who they were, leaving both Kakashi and Naruto to be themselves wholeheartedly and just enjoy the night together.

They'd watched the highlight of the night, a beautiful display of fireworks that had taken Naruto's breath away, on top of a small hill, a stone's throw from the rest of the gathered celebrants.

Kakashi had kissed him then; face alight with the many, different colors exploding in the velvety, star riddled sky above their heads; making stars and colors of a different kind erupt on the back of the blond's eyelids. The silver-haired man, his mismatched gaze dark and intense with desire, had looked deep into hazy azure, had seemed to look straight into his very soul and Naruto knew then an there that he was in love.

He was in love with Kakashi, irrevocably, incurable and madly in love with him. He hardly knew anything about the Copy-nin's past, knew nothing about his habits at home or what had shaped him into the man he was today.

All Naruto knew was that he was exhilarated and terrified at the same time; a fear running bone deep and shooting through his heart, even as the love made it clench painfully, making his chest feel stuffy, constricting his ability to breathe through the sudden onslaught of emotions.

When he broke the kiss, Naruto had kept his eyes closed and pressed his forehead to Kakashi's shoulder, breathing deeply and inhaling the older man's intoxicating scent, wanting to ingrain it into the very marrow of his bones so he'd never forget it.

They'd walked back to Konoha in silence, keeping a little distance between them but still remaining close enough for their hands to brush and knock against the other's once in a while. That small contact had been enough, had kept them grounded to each other like moons in their orbits around a planet.

Kakashi had followed him all the way through the gates, had navigated the silent and deserted streets of the village, had trailed after him up the stairs to his apartment and then attacked him outside his door. Naruto hadn't stood a chance.

He still didn't; not when Kakashi was using the considerate skill his mouth possessed and kept drowning Naruto in sensation after sensation; assaulting him with pleasure as his hands roamed underneath his shirt, sparks of desire igniting under the sensual caresses.

It was too much, happening too fast. Naruto's heart was singing with joy and encouragement, but his brain was all but screaming at him to stop, to take a step back and to just _wait._

He turned his head, all but tearing his mouth from Kakashi's possessive claim; breathing harshly as Kakashi's heated exhalations against his cheek and ear sent shivers down his spine.

"Wait", Naruto choked out when Kakashi freed one hand to reach up and cradle Naruto's chin in a gentle grasp, trying to turn his face so he could kiss him some more. The older man stopped, body stiffening at the pleading lilt in Naruto's voice.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi murmured, pressing light kisses to the cheek Naruto so stubbornly had presented him with.

"Nothing", Naruto replied, shuddering when sharp teeth graced the shell of his ear. "It's just-" He had to pause to swallow, his dry throat making it hard to talk. "S-slow down", he managed to get out, hands coming up from where he'd kept them in a firm hold on Kakashi's hips to brace against his chest.

Kakashi stopped with his ministrations entirely, slowly pulling back until he could meet the blond's eyes. "I've been thinking…" Naruto blurted out before Kakashi could ask anything else, making the older man's mind backtrack as he'd been about to inquire if Naruto was alright again.

"Yeah? About what?" Sensing that his advances wasn't really welcome any longer, Kakashi backed away until he could lean against the railing behind him, eyes cool as he waited to hear what Naruto had to say. Naruto, growing a little hot around the collar and feeling flustered when subjected to Kakashi's calm patience, had some trouble voicing his thoughts properly.

"I-well-I've been thinking about it – us – a lot lately and-" He took a deep breath to steel himself, chiding his racing pulse as he said the words he thought Kakashi wanted to hear, disregarding his heart's wishes all together. "I was thinking that we could – y'know – keep this thing between us – whatever it is – ah well… casual?"

The silence was long and stretched out for what felt like a small eternity, making Naruto itchy and his nerves jittery.

"Naruto", Kakashi said at length, a strange light in his eyes as he pushed away from the rail and took a step closer. "Naruto, I-"

Naruto panicked, not wanting Kakashi any closer or he'd be dangerously close to spill all about his newly discovered feeling for the Copy-nin before he was ready, before he even knew if it was welcomed or not.

"I think it would be best if we just kept it simple", he interrupted before Kakashi could finish; the Copy-nin's mouth closing with a snap, the words he'd wanted to say leaving a bitter aftertaste on his tongue. When Kakashi didn't say anything Naruto gave him an imploring look, blue eyes frantically begging him to understand.

"I know that you don't love me and I can't say I love you either", he said hurriedly "I'm really attracted to you, not much sense in denying that but I- I don't feel like getting into something serious right now, not when I'm not totally over Sasuke", he lied; making Kakashi's hope sink, a cold sensation spreading in his stomach.

"What _are_ you saying then?" the Copy-nin asked, masking the despair threatening to creep into his tone by moderating his speech, making it neutral and bland.

"Well, I was thinking that we could be like – y'know, friends… but with benefits and well… yeah. That", Naruto mumbled and averted his eyes; he couldn't bear to meet Kakashi's gaze that seemed to all but bore into him accusingly, even when they grey orb trained on him remained unreadable.

A charged silence filled the night; unspoken words hanging between them but neither had the courage to speak up and tell the other his heart's needs. Their bond was still too fragile and fresh to tolerate such frank honesty.

"Friends… with benefits?" Naruto nodded silently, still keeping his gaze away from Kakashi. Sighing deeply to himself, Kakashi hardened his heart and said the words that would, without doubt, break it. "Sure, why not. I don't see why that couldn't work out."

Naruto's head snapped up, his eyes wide as his confused and surprised gaze collided with Kakashi's. If Naruto had been aware that Kakashi had just been about to declare his love for him, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick at leading their relationship into another direction. Another bump in the road… it still wouldn't stop Kakashi. He was determined to make Naruto fall in love with him, come what may, he would not stop until the day where he got what he really wanted.

Even if it made his heart break at the moment, as he was forced to comply with the blond and be with him on Naruto's terms, Kakashi wasn't about to let that deter him.

_When have I ever been one to back down before what would seem like an impossible challenge?_ Kakashi mused with his eyes firmly on Naruto; his hair shining with a dull, golden, glow in the faint light from the lamp outside his door. His eyes were deep pools filled with mystery and secrets not told, enigmas that made Kakashi wanton in his ache to know them all.

Carefully, as to not spook the nervous looking jinchüriki, Kakashi stepped closer. Briefly pausing, waiting for Naruto's approval, Kakashi didn't move further until Naruto had given a miniscule nod, granting him permission to take him in his arms and kiss him again.

Evoking small sighs of pleasure and desire from them both, Kakashi parted the blond's lips, tangling their tongues together in a slow, sensual glide. As he lifted his head and gazed down into Naruto's eyes, filled with longing and heat and desire, Kakashi made a silent vow to himself that he would make the blond love him. No matter what.

"Are you going to invite me in?" he asked, playing it simple just like Naruto wanted and ignored the agonized pain lancing through his heart. Kakashi was good a lying, he could do it even if it killed him. This time, he feared that it just might.

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN: **So... what did you think? Please leave me a comment, I really want to hear your opinions: What was good, what sucked, what I could've done better etc. Flame if you want, but be prepared to get flamed back. ^^


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the long delay guys, I really am! I totally scrapped the original pages of this chapter and re-wrote the whole thing. Trust me, it works out better this way. And also, I've landed myself with a second job, so there's my two reasons for this chapter's delay. Now, I won't ramble any longer. Enjoy!

**Warnings:** Some mildly disturbing events are mentioned in the middle of this, sensitive readers be aware. Un-beta-ed as usual, I only bothered with a quick read through. I'll go over it more carefully tomorrow when I'm not as tired! ^^

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General 16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

_Frustration – a feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized_

The night was slowly progressing towards dawn; thin tendrils of pink, dark blue, indigo and orange entwining and stretching over the horizon with the sun's approach. Konoha's Fifth Hokage didn't even flinch when two shadows slipped inside of her office, brown irises never slowing in their perusal over the stack of papers in front of her.

"How did it go?" she asked without looking up. A brief silence followed, small sounds of feet shuffling over the carpet in from of her desk drifting through the room.

"Better than expected, Hokage-sama."

"Is that so?" She lifted her head, eyes sharp despite the early hour as she assessed the two men before her.

"Yes. He was… not what either of us had anticipated, to be honest."

A snort of wry amusement escaped her and she dropped the papers in her hands. Leaning back in the chair, a smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. "I find that's usually the case when concerning him." Slender fingers tapped against the top of her desk, a pondering silence between her and her two subordinates.

"So?" she asked at length, "How did he take it?"

The man to the right shifted slightly. "I… cannot say, really. Good enough, considering it was his first time."

Blond brows furrowed. "He knows it wasn't really real, right?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama, we explained it to him."

"Good", she nodded distractedly, mind miles away for a moment. "And what's your conclusion?"

The man on the left produced a file, which he handed to Tsunade, the snarling mask over his face obscuring any facial expressions he might've had from her. "Approved, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade dipped her chin slowly as she opened the file, gaze scanning over the neatly scribbled words on the page inside. "That's… nothing less than what I expected", she mumbled absently.

"He showed a remarkable ability to think on his feet. Clever and innovative ways to use his surroundings to his advantage, not to mention the clones", the man on the right said, a small trace of amusement in his voice.

"He's known not to go by the norm when dealing with things", Tsunade chuckled, the file placed on the desk as she finished reading. "Do you think he's ready?"

The man on the left nodded. "Yes. Once his last training mission with team 13 is over, he should be ready for live action."

"And Wolf has agreed with you on this?"

The men glanced at each other. "He has not given any indication of the opposite, Hokage-sama. I'd say he's rather pleased with the progress", Monkey offered.

Tsunade snorted again. "It's hard to know with Wolf, but I'll trust his silence and your estimation." Reaching to rummage around under the piles of paperwork cluttering her desk, the Fifth's deft fingers found a stamp somewhere underneath the chaos. She pressed it on the bottom of the page laid open before her, picking the file up and snapping it shut once the green Approved was imprinted.

"Deliver this to Tiger; I'm sure he'll be as thrilled as I am to see it."

Two heads bowed in unison. "Certainly, Hokage-sama."

Once alone again, Tsunade turned her chair to look out over the village, brows furrowed in thought as she contemplated, wondering what the future would bring for Naruto, now that he was permitted and about the become a full member of ANBU.

Sighing deeply, she turned back to the never ending heaps of work waiting for her. "I really hope you know what you're doing, Naruto."

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><p>Atsuki Yuzuha was not an attractive man. The fat belly strained against the yellow fabric of his shirt, the brown jacket he wore over gaping in between the buttons. He was bald on top of the head and had combed the hair still clinging to the edges of his skull to cover the bare skin, the thin strands looking more painted on than anything else. He was short; Naruto would've guessed that standing toe to toe, he'd reach up to have his potato-like nose level with Naruto's collarbone. His small, beady eyes bulged in the puffy face, quite hilariously reminding Naruto of a pug and the man's ears looked big enough to be able to carry him away, should a strong enough wind blow when he went outside.<p>

Yet, Naruto couldn't help but feel impressed over the poise the man carried himself with, as if he was the most important man in the world, greater than any emperor or ruler. Peeking at the short man from underneath dirty blond bangs, as Yuzuha dodged between the narrowly placed tables in the dingy inn, Naruto slumped further in his chair.

Kakashi was slumping opposite him, almost unrecognizable in plain, brown and dirty clothes; his hair tamed back into a short, messy tail. He wore a strip of grey fabric to cover his Sharingan, but the rest of his face was bare, his jaw and chin shadowed by a soft, grey beard that came from not shaving for three days. It had been hard, trying to keep his eyes from lingering over how the facial hair accented Kakashi's lips, pronouncing their slight pout to Naruto's interested gaze.

The older man sat with his good eye almost entirely closed; only a slip of grey iris visible as Kakashi played his part of a very drunk farmer, dangerously close to passing out in his booze. His head was thrown back, his long neck stretched as he watched their target's trajectory towards the back of the inn's dimly lit interior.

"I thought bad guys were supposed to be, y'know, more suave", Naruto muttered into his drink, his head bobbing jerkily as if he was trying to stay awake when Yuzuha scurried by their table. Kakashi straightened wobbly, peering at the blond slightly cock-eyed. How the hell the Copy-nin managed that, Naruto had no idea, but it was convincing.

If he hadn't known Kakashi, Naruto knew he would've been fooled to believe whatever Kakashi wanted him to. The man was good and Naruto was thankful to have him as his teacher, two and a half months into his apprenticeship.

"Don't let his appearance fool you", Kakashi muttered as he almost collapsed over the table, "he's almost as smart as Shikamaru and twice as malicious as the Kyuubi."

"How do you know that? We've only been doing this for four days!" Naruto hissed a little petulantly, keeping one ear on the hubbub around them and the other on their hushed conversation. It may have been a trick of the dim light to others, but Naruto clearly saw one of the dimples adorning Kakashi's cheeks deepen, as the older man smiled down into the tabletop.

"You've been at this for four days. The rest of us have had two weeks, while you've been… otherwise engaged."

Naruto suppressed a shudder, his exasperated amusement slipping away at the mere remembrance. One and a half week with the crazy Hunter duo known as Panther and Monkey had been more than enough to last him through a life time. Once it had been over and Naruto had found himself collapsed on his bed, in the relative safety of his home, he was hard pressed to believe how he'd even survived the first day with his sanity intact.

The same night after his and Kakashi's third date, where nothing, save for some intense necking, had occurred he'd received a message to meet Panther at one of the concealed training grounds belonging to ANBU, at six o'clock the following morning. He was to come in his uniform and bring with him a survival kit that would last him for ten days.

That had been it, no more information. He'd shown up on the strike of six, on edge and jittery, waiting with his stomach full of butterflies. Three hours later he was still jittery but the anxiety had been replaced with annoyance. If he hadn't known better, Naruto would've felt inclined to think that it was Kakashi he was supposed to meet.

The blond had sighed explosively, had turned around and around and around in circles, scanning the small training area and keeping his guard up the entire time. The Copy-nin's unconventional training methods aside, they had been efficient and had instilled a new sense of awareness in Naruto.

Which had ultimately saved him, when around noon, almost six hours after the given time, he'd been attacked. Suddenly a black shape had charged, seemingly out of nowhere, and Naruto had found himself fighting someone; a black clad figure that moved with such grace and speed, he'd been having a hard time keeping up at first.

The snarling face of a monkey had been the first clue, the panther masked one the other, as Naruto had almost fallen for the diversion tactic Monkey had executed; leaving his partner to sneak up from behind while their prey were occupied with defending himself.

They'd teamed up against him, using several, unknown jutsus to keep him off balance and force him into a figurative corner; leaving Naruto to scramble and utilize more chakra than he'd intended. Not that it made any difference to him, not with his naturally large supply of the life energy, coupled with the almost infinite amount he got from the Kyuubi.

A freakishly amount of chakra did the blond no good though, not when he was up against two very skilled men, on par with Kakashi but without a Sharingan. They'd kept their distance, had Naruto on his toes as they evaluated his moves, how he was handling their attacks and just generally being bastards of the highest degree.

It had lasted for almost thirty minutes and then they'd just stopped, leaving Naruto panting and sweating from the physical and mental extortion. Monkey had been the first one to walk up to him, long, lanky body at ease and moving fluidly with the kind of grace which to some came naturally. Naruto had eyed him warily, senses alert and on edge the whole time.

"You really need to work on your stamina", Monkey had drawled when he'd stopped a few paces away, biceps bulging above the edge of black gloves as he'd crossed his arms over his armored chest.

Naruto, sputtering from outrage and red in the face, had tried to protest when Panther joined his partner, his slightly shorter and stocky frame mirroring that of his partner's at they'd stared Naruto down. No one had ever questioned Naruto's stamina before; he'd held his own against stronger enemies in the past, and that without even having the jounin training to back him up!

"Your balance was off key", Panther had offered once Naruto had caught his breath, blue eyes glaring from behind the eye slits in his mask at the pair all but looming over him.

"I know", Naruto grunted. "About the balance at least. No one's ever complained about my stamina!"

Monkey had snorted, his stance relaxing ever so slightly. "I wasn't talking about your body. Your mind, boy. You really need to start working that brain of yours more."

Completely baffled, Naruto had stared at them for a good minute. "What?"

Panther had chortled in wry amusement, the sound deep and velvety. "Your body kept up just fine, to the point where we ganged up on you. You need to train your mind to be as adaptable as your body, to be able to analyze and come up with solutions in a split second."

"I can do that!" Naruto protested, the small dislike he felt for them growing bigger. The masked duo had glanced at each other, communicating flawlessly and transmitting whatever they were thinking between them without uttering a single word.

"Crazy plans which have a fifty-fifty chance or less of working out don't count", Panther had said at last. "If you can't plan ahead you'll be dead in a week, if you're ever cleared for active duty."

"And this is where we come in", Monkey had interjected as Naruto was about to open his mouth again. The large man couldn't see Naruto's face behind the porcelain any more than Naruto could see his, but Monkey had still been able to read Naruto like an open book. "We will teach you how to do this. Come on, we're heading out."

And that's where Naruto had entered what could only have been Hell. They'd led him straight out into nowhere, traveling fast for almost a whole day before stopping in one of those small, natural clearings that could be found all over in Fire country's dense forest landscape.

Panther had looked at Monkey for a long time, doing that silent talking thing Naruto had already begun to loathe. Then, as one, they'd turned to him and he hadn't been able to shake the feeling that they had been grinning behind their snarling masks.

"This is your last line of defense", Panther had declared with a flourish of his hand, motioning towards the grass and shrubbery covered gland behind them.

Naruto knew he shouldn't, but his vocal cords had seemed to have a mind of their own as he'd asked,

"Defense… Defend it from what?"

"Us", Monkey had answered and then they'd been gone with barely a flicker of chakra. Naruto had been left alone in the clearing with nothing sans his backpack and what weapons he carried on him.

"Great." The word was more an annoyed exhale than a grumble. Slowly turning around to get a cleared view of what would, essentially, be his home for the next nine days he'd muttered, "Just freaking great."

He'd spent the first night up in a tree, getting sleep in bouts of an hour or so at a time, senses too alert to really be able to relax and settle down properly. He'd kept three clones as guards during the time, having them act as lookouts and warn him by dispersing should they spot anything threatening.

When he'd woken up at dawn the following morning all of his clones had been intact, had spotted nothing else sans some night active animals. Naruto had been more than a little befuddled by this fact, when he'd found a scroll at the base of the tree he'd been hiding in, lying there innocently with a note tied to it.

The message had been short and blunt, urging him to learn the two jutsus inside of the scroll in two days and to plan out how to defend the gland from them or else… The last part hadn't actually been written down, but Naruto had gotten the gist of it. So he'd settled down to learn, having his clones make a small, camouflaged camp where they'd used the surrounding nature to hide his small tent.

He'd chosen an even smaller gland a couple of miles from his base camp, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to him when he set out to learn, or die trying. Or well, not dying maybe, he still had Hokage seats to reach, Copy-nins to do and so forth, but he would rather drop down unconscious before giving up.

The jutsus had been deceptively easy on paper, proving far more difficult to master once he'd tried his hands at them. The first one had been a simple cloaking jutsu, similar to a genjutsu but more suited for when he wanted to hide instead of trapping someone in an illusion he'd only fail to hold on to. Naruto knew his weaknesses very well, and while he could by then sense and dispel a genjutsu with just a little more trouble than your average shinobi, a genjutsu master he would never be. He didn't have a problem with that; illusions had never really been his style anyway.

The second one had been a tracking jutsu, designed for dispatchers when they'd lost sight of their target. It would only take one, good read on the mark's chakra signature to make it work and then it would, without fail, lead the user in the right direction. He'd been standing with the scroll in his hand for a long time, wavering and wondering if he'd done right when deciding to pursue the path of a dispatcher.

Shrugging off the doubt crowding his mind and squaring his shoulders, Naruto had clenched his jaw and started to learn the signs written down, leaving all reservations behind.

It had taken four days before Monkey and Panther had attacked again, in the middle of the night, without setting off any of Naruto's clones. The cloaking jutsu had proven to come in handy then, and the lessons Kakashi had instilled in him about always being aware and ready, had turned that particular fight more in Naruto's favor.

He'd managed to keep himself hidden long enough for the Hunters to spring one of the traps he'd made, Iruka's hand in his earlier training shining through as they'd almost fallen for it. In the end they'd escaped the hole filled with sharpened pikes and explosives, forcing Naruto out into the open and had engaged him in combat.

It had been vicious; him alone against two elite Hunters who were set out to really kill him. They hadn't pulled any of their punches, going all out as they'd tried to take him down. Never let it be said that Naruto couldn't think on his feet though, and a clever plan consisting of him using clones and mingling with them to create confusion, Naruto had managed to get away by the skin of his teeth.

They'd been gone by then, forcing him to use the tracking jutsu by having deliberately used an abundance of showy jutsus that required a lot of chakra in the fight. Naruto had used it with success, congratulating himself for getting them away from the gland which was his to defend, and it hadn't even taken him ten minutes to find them again.

They'd been pleased with him, or so he assumed, one could never know with those masks in the way. They had, however, each given him a pat on his shoulder once the battle had ended after a dragged out, two hour long stalemate. They'd called it and ended it before anyone of them could get seriously hurt, and Monkey had handed him another scroll, ordering him to read and learn in yet another two days, before the final day out in the forest with them.

The second scroll had contained one, last jutsu; a technique that still left Naruto unsettled with the mere knowledge that he could and would most likely use it at some point in the future. Simply named Body disposal, it had been fairly easy to learn; but the way he'd been required to go about to execute it had weighted heavily on his mind.

As always, Naruto had used his trusted Kage bunshin and had two of them hunt and kill some animals, three bunnies, one badger and two small deer. Having felt nauseous and holding back the bile rising in the back of his throat at the sight of the animals lying in a neat row in front of him, Naruto's hands had trembled as he'd made the signs and said the words to reduce the dead wildlife to fresh dirt.

Seeing that, witnessing fur and hair disintegrate, flesh implode and crumble and bones cracking and falling apart to nothing, had shaken him to the core, had left a stale taste in his mouth that lingered, even weeks after. And it wasn't like he'd been left to learn in peace either, like with the other jutsus.

No, Panther and Monkey had attacked him randomly all through the days and nights, left traps around his camp, planted deadly illusions all over the place. It had left Naruto drained, his mind and body so taxed after several days of being kept on his toes. It was Kakashi's training all over again, only ten times worse.

Naruto had learned though. He'd learned to see, to hear and to trust his gut, his senses elevating to higher levels the more time progressed. His thoughts had processed all new scenarios faster, had been able to come up with split second solutions. And whether those solutions had been the best or the wisest… well Naruto was still Naruto, and true to his nature he hadn't let something as harsh words or glares from his mentors, whenever he had done something unexpected, stop him.

The last day, the one Naruto would remember for the rest of his life, had come all too fast. He'd woken up inside of his drafty tent, dreading to get out and see what Panther and Monkey had come up with. A third scroll awaited him just outside, telling him to pack up and be ready.

Panther had come to get him half an hour later, alone and somber.

"Your mission today", the man had said, voice devoid of any emotions or hints whatsoever, "is to find Monkey and dispatch him."

Naruto had stood frozen, thoughts running through his head faster than they could be processed, wide eyes staring at Panther.

"…What?" he'd managed to choke out at last, fine tremors of dread and uneasiness chasing up and down his spine.

Panther had glared back steadily. "You have your remits, you have your mark. Do you dare to disobey a direct order from your superior?" he'd asked coolly, eyes hard as flint behind the slits in his mask. "You are to use the knowledge we've taught you and complete your mission. You have until midnight. I'll be watching."

With that Panther had vanished, barely a flicker of chakra before Naruto was left alone, beads of sweat forming at his hairline underneath his blank mask. He had no idea how long he'd remained unmoving, staring blankly out in the air while trying to curb the fear turning his stomach into knots.

A crow from a bird in the distance had shaken him out of the strange trance, enabling him to move and get his mind straight. He couldn't afford to hesitate; he wouldn't. He'd chosen the path for himself, and no one but him could make him fail to follow its trail. Taking a deep breath and leaving something he would never really get back behind, Naruto had steeled his heart and moved out.

"Heads up, he's coming back." Kakashi's words, almost too low to hear in the raucous pub, yanked Naruto back into the present, blue eyes blinking in the dim light. Through the flood of memories he'd rather just bury in the deepest, darkest recesses of his mind – blood, so much blood spilling over his hands, eyes barely visible through narrow slits in a snarling porcelain face growing dimmer as life fled – he did his best to pull himself together.

Nausea, a constantly occurring feeling ever since, was pushed back and Naruto swallowed around the sudden tightness in his throat. Slumping further in his seat, he caught a glimpse of their target out of the corner of his eye again, waiting for Kakashi's signal before they got up on seemingly wonky feet, staggering out of the tavern while leaning on each other.

Two pair of sharp eyes followed Atsuki Yuzuha as the rotund man rounded a corner, disappearing down a narrow alley.

"And our work here is done", Kakashi mumbled in Naruto's ear, the close proximity and warm breath fanning against his neck and cheek sending shivers of a different kind down Naruto's spine.

"Did we actually get what we came here for?" Naruto wondered as they walked in the other direction, their steps growing surer and straighter the further away they got.

"Well, one can never be too sure, but the way his pockets bulged when he returned from that room, I'd say, we sure did."

Naruto glanced at the older man disbelievingly. "You notice stuff like that?"

Kakashi shrugged as he straightened up, leaving Naruto to walk by his side, missing the warmth. "It's what we do. You need to pay more attention."

Naruto's lower lip turned down in a pout. "I pay attention."

"Don't worry; you'll get the hang of it. Eventually." Chortling lowly, Kakashi gently nudged his shoulder against Naruto's. Still pouting, though it was mostly for show, they walked in companionable silence, enjoying the calm night and docile city around them.

"So… what's gonna come from the information we've gathered?" Naruto asked after a while, giving Kakashi a brief glance.

"Well that's for the higher ups to decide. Had they wanted the object dead we would've been in an entirely different situation." Naruto flinched at Kakashi's calloused reply, wondering if he would be as indifferent one day too. The thought didn't sit well with him, nausea and guilt churning unpleasantly in his gut.

As if reading his mind, Kakashi stopped, his eyes serious as he regarded Naruto with a certain kind of gentleness Naruto had started to recognize, not as something patronizing, but sympathy.

"This is what we do, Naruto", Kakashi told him lowly. "This is the reality you have to come to terms with if you want to do this. We all go through it and we all have different ways to deal with it."

Naruto, standing a few paces away, his gaze lost as it stared down the dim street, closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I know. It's just that…" Turning to face Kakashi, Naruto gave him a lost look. "I think it would be easier if I could finally move past all this "internship" bullshit. I get… antsy", he confessed, blushing slightly at the admission.

Kakashi's gaze turned calculating, the warm grey and red growing a little colder. "You're ready for live action when I say you are." Naruto gritted his teeth and Kakashi's commanding tone, bristling at the implication that he wasn't prepared.

"I know", Naruto repeated, bitingly. "But when? Three months… time's almost up. When will you decide?"

He almost flinched back when Kakashi came right up in his personal space, forcing Naruto back against a nearby wall. Naruto's breath hitched as Kakashi leaned in, stopping with his face a mere inch from Naruto's. Kakashi stared at Naruto for a long moment, calm, steely irises scrutinizing Naruto's face deeply.

"Soon", Kakashi said at length, backing away. He waited for Naruto to bite back on the snarling reply clawing at the back of his throat, but Naruto swallowed it down with effort, keeping his mouth shut as they resumed their walk towards the city border.

As they reached the wooden palisade shielding the small city, on the verge where shadows stretched and danced at the edge of light, Kakashi stopped again, eyes trained on the dark wood beyond as he spoke again.

"One more mission, a live one, and then I'll decide."

Naruto's heart thudded heavily against his ribs, blood rushing in his veins as he watched Kakashi take the final step and was swallowed by darkness. Hesitating slightly, feeling as if he was standing on the threshold of something big, bigger than anything he'd ever done, Naruto walked after Kakashi, following him into the unknown.

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><p>The mission had taken its toll on everyone. Once team 13 got back to Konoha they didn't linger before going home. They all had soft words of praise for Naruto, told him he'd done well, and offered a brief pat on his back or shoulder before they departed. Naruto only gave a tired nod in thanks. Sighing deeply, all Naruto wanted to do was to go home and collapse on his bed.<p>

All the subterfuge was starting to become as tiring, if not more, as mindless fighting. A heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks, as he'd tried to grunt a garbled goodbye to Kakashi. Moaning lowly, Naruto slumped back against Kakashi's solid chest, his spine all but melting against the older man's frame.

There was a note of sympathy in Kakashi's voice when he said, "Not yet. We're going to swing by the headquarters before you're allowed to go home."

"But why?" Naruto refused to admit to the whiny quality in his words. "First ten days with the crazy Hunter duo then another five with you guys and now this? How is this my life?"

"Oh give it a rest, you drama queen", Kakashi chided, pushing Naruto in the direction of the ANBU HQ. "It's not anything you haven't chosen yourself so stop complaining and take it like a man."

"I'm not whining", Naruto pouted, all but dragging his feet through the quiet streets. Truth to be told, he wasn't all that serious. Even though the training with Panther and Monkey had been more than a little unnerving and slightly traumatizing, it had been useful and kind of fun, in the middle of the seriousness. Not to mention how much he enjoyed going out on missions together with team 13.

They worked like a well-oiled machine, every member having their place and knowing what to do without needing more than a signal or two. Knowing that his place among them wasn't permanent, that he would be placed in his own team, if Kakashi would just give the good to go sometime, Naruto hadn't been able to help himself and dream a little.

The mission so far had been strictly surveillance and intelligence gathering. No fighting, no killing, no nothing. Naruto, aware that he was fooling himself, had so far been lulled into a false sense of security, hoping that the missions wouldn't get any worse than what he'd done so far.

Kakashi's earlier words, so casually mentioned, had nicked Naruto's pretenses at the edges, had reminded him that ANBU wasn't only about stealth and sneaking around and collecting information. Naruto had yet to see the darker sides, but had come uncomfortably close on his training with the Hunter duo. Stomping on the memories floating in the back of his mind, of bloody hands and wide eyes staring straight into his, Naruto made an effort not to think about it, too tired to deal with the feelings they invoked.

Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, the two of them walked at a leisure pace to the HQ, letting silence rest comfortably between them. Naruto hung back as Kakashi accessed the entrance, gaze heavy and bleary when they walked into the dimly lit corridor behind the door.

Soft voices ahead of them slipped by Naruto's notice, too focused as he was on not falling asleep on his feet, and almost walked straight into Kakashi when the older man stopped when they reached the lounge area. Unlike the last time, when it had been devoid of any life, it was now filled with people.

Or well, at least five individuals, Naruto's brain had the time to register, before the small crowd greeted them with loud cheers.

"Yo", Kakashi replied, pushing his mask up and away as he gave his usual, trademark wave.

"The lost son returns!" a man in a Bear mask proclaimed dramatically, loud guffaws and good-natured jeering clamoring in Naruto's ears as the gathering got to their feet. Naruto stood back, watching in fascination as Kakashi was drawn into the middle of the hubbub, all of the ANBU talking over each other as questions hailed down over the Copy-nin.

Naruto bit back on a smirk, feeling a little more alert as he witnessed the close kinship they all seemed to share despite the fact that they all wore masks. His smile dropped off his face, however, when he spotted a Cat masked woman, small and petite, sidling up to Kakashi, standing too close and touching him with a familiarity that definitely didn't sit well with Naruto.

All but invisible, for maybe the first time in his life, Naruto had to grit his teeth and seethe on the inside as the Cat wrapped herself all around Kakashi, who didn't seem to mind in the least. On the contrary, he lifted his arm to settle it around the Cat's shoulders, holding her close as he bantered with the small crowd.

So busy was he that Naruto hardly noticed when the group, one after one, grew silent, their piercing gazes going in his direction until all of them were staring at him. Kakashi was the last to turn, and though Naruto couldn't see his eyes, the older man seemed… expectant somehow.

"This is Yellow, our new recruit", Kakashi introduced, a little superfluous, and Naruto gave a small wave in greeting.

"Hi."

As one they crowded around him, humming and snickering and pulling at the bandana covering his hair.

"Is this him?" A Dog masked man asked, the growling quality of his voice all too familiar to Naruto. A little put out that Kiba had made it into ANBU before him, Naruto ignored the query.

"A little on the small side, right?" another ANBU mused out loud, the snarling Cobra face contradictory to the gentle lilt of her voice.

"Nah, that's just the new generation, they're all on the small side", said the fourth and last ANBU, carrying the mask of an Owl.

"Hey, speak for yourself!" Kiba yelped, punching Owl in the shoulder.

"Well there are always exceptions", Owl conceded "I mean, mutations do occur from time to time and-" Reply drowning under roaring laughs as Kiba launched himself at Owl, who nimbly danced out of the way, Naruto glumly noted that Kakashi still hadn't let go of the Cat masked woman, arm casually resting across her back.

"You'll scare him away like that", Kakashi spoke up, words chiding but the tone amused. Naruto glared at the silver-haired man, wishing he'd spontaneously combust or something.

"If he's survived three months under your tutelage, he can come out unscratched from anything", the Cat suddenly spoke up, unwinding from Kakashi so she could step closer to Naruto, peering into the eye slits of his blank mask. "Pretty eyes too", she mumbled, almost to herself.

Naruto had to refrain from leaning back from her closeness, forcing himself to remain where he was as he withstood the scrutiny from all of them. He looked up at Kakashi, who gave him a small, approving, nod. Relaxing slightly was his mistake, as his bandana was ripped off in the next second; Bear crowing triumphantly as he waved it over his head.

Silence fell over the group again until Kiba started to laugh. "How long did you think nobody would recognize that hair when you're finally done with your internship, Naruto?"

Feeling a little silly, now that the cat was out of the bag, Naruto pushed his mask to the side, giving Kiba a sardonic smile. "Right back at you, Kiba."

"Son of a bitch!" Kiba swore, yanking the mask down to dangle around his neck. "How the hell did you know it was me?" he asked, outraged.

Naruto snorted. "Try disguising your horrible dog-breath as good as your chakra signature and you'll dodge it the next time."

Cheeks flamed hotly under the torrent of ear-splitting hilarity from the rest of them, but Kiba managed to ignore them as he treated Naruto too to a punch on the shoulder. "Welcome to ANBU, fox-boy, where insanity's abound and drinks a plenty."

"Thanks", Naruto muttered, glancing in Kakashi's direction when he saw that the Copy-nin had retreated a few steps, and was now quietly speaking with the Cat. The jealousy didn't wait this time, but flared high and hot inside of him. He didn't like it at all, Kakashi being close to other people, not when he seemed so intimate and all too familiar with it, not when the only thing Naruto had gotten in almost three months, were kisses and nothing else.

He did try to break free from the questions fired at him from Bear, Kiba and Cobra and Owl, not really sure of what he was going to do once he'd be at Kakashi's side again. Staking his claim sounded a little too dramatic, even for him, even as he wanted to snarl at the Cat masked hussy to get her filthy paws off of Naruto's man and-

No. Naruto firmly choked that thought before it could gain any more ground. Kakashi was not his man and he had not given any inclination that he wanted to be either. Until Kakashi voiced it out loud, until he'd say that he wanted Naruto's love as well as his body, Kakashi was free to do as he pleased. _Really?_ A small voice in the back of his head hissed. _Even as you're already in love with him? Don't you want him to belong to you, and only you? Don't you want to leave your mark on him for all of Konoha, and the world, to see? To let him mark you in return and erase every trace of Sasuke from your mind and skin?_

Of course he wanted that; wanted it with such ferocious intent it threatened to consume his every waking thought, as well as his sleeping. They'd had dates after that first, perfect one; dates that always ended with Naruto pressed up against his front door with Kakashi kissing him as if his life depended on it.

Naruto had invited Kakashi inside each time, only for Kakashi to decline every offer. It drove Naruto mad. Not only was he in love with the illusive Copy-nin, but he was also insanely horny and wanted nothing else but drag Kakashi inside and screw his brains out. Despite his attempts at appearing as attractive and alluring as possible, Kakashi had yet to relent, damn him.

To be frank, Naruto was starting to think that Kakashi didn't want him as much as he'd said and was losing hope, just a little bit. As famous as he was for never backing down, even Naruto had to relent when faced with the blank wall Kakashi had somehow, when Naruto hadn't been looking, erected between them.

Stopping in trying to get away from the curious ANBU, Naruto's eyes were anguished and a little hurt as he stared at Kakashi over their shoulders, silently begging him for answers.

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><p>"You're a cruel man", Anko whispered at Kakashi, from where they were standing and watching the others all but overwhelm Naruto, babbling and joking and asking every other second.<p>

Kakashi hummed a little under his breath. "How so?"

"You should sleep with the poor guy and get it over with already; if his eyes could kill I'd be a wet spot on the floor by now."

Smirking, Kakashi bent his head slightly so he could murmur directly into Anko's ear. "Feeling threatened, Anko? I didn't know you had it in you."

She snorted inelegant behind her mask, which she had declined from removing. "Please. As if he could ever get one up on me. I just think it's sad that you're appreciating this teasing game you got going on." She turned her head, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes. "You certainly didn't when you started the game with me."

It was Kakashi time to snort. "You enjoyed torturing me for months, if I recall it correctly. I, on the other hand, am just… raising the stakes a little."

He didn't need to see it to know that her eyebrows were arched behind the porcelain mask. "Really? Wow. The Uchiha brat really did a number on him, then?"

"Yeah, you could say that", Kakashi sighed.

Anko leaned into him, in silent support. "What did he say?" she wondered, jerking her chin in Naruto's direction.

"Something about wanting to keep things casual", Kakashi answered honestly, suddenly tired of games and half-truths. If he couldn't be up front with Anko, someone he had been in a causal relationship with for years before and become quite close to, there really was no hope for him.

"And you believed him?" Anko shook her head. "Boys. You're all so silly. You all make this more complicated than it has to be."

"Oh, we do, do we? Care to share a word of wisdom then, oh Goddess of love?"

She turned to face him fully then, her small hands coming up to cup the back of his neck. Applying a little pressure, she didn't speak up until he had relented and his face was level with her ear.

"Just tell him you love him, idiot." Letting Kakashi go, Anko just threw a wave at her team, before she sauntered towards the room she kept at the HQ. Kakashi stared at her retreating back, heaving a great sigh when Naruto's pleading looks grew more insistent.

"It's not that easy", he whispered after her. A hand on his shoulder had Kakashi turning around, coming face to face with Genma, who had removed his Bear mask.

"So, Kakashi… getting tired of babysitting duty yet?" Genma smirked, glancing briefly at Naruto, who had been cornered by Kiba and was having a heated – and loud – discussion about tracking versus dispatching.

Kakashi shook his head. "I wouldn't say he needs much babysitting, Genma."

"Ah. And the fact that he have got the hots for you has nothing to do with it, right?"

Kakashi's right brow quirked. "That's none of your business, is it?"

Laughing out loud, Genma slapped Kakashi's shoulder. "Don't be such a sourpuss, I'm not blind y'know! And anyway, the way he looks at you… "Genma gave a low wolf-whistle "Man, I'd be burned."

"Was there a point of this conversation?" Kakashi wondered mildly, though a little archly, wanting to escape the third degree. It had been two, long weeks. He wanted to go home and take a shower and get some sleep already.

"We're having a get together tomorrow night, at the usual place. Just thought I'd invite you." Genma shrugged, but he wouldn't meet Kakashi's gaze.

Narrowing his eyes, Kakashi had a firm suspicious just why Genma didn't want to look him in the eye. "You want me to bring the rest of the team?"

The shrug Genma gave was way too casual. "Sure. I mean, the gathering is for all of us ANBU."

Kakashi was not impressed. "Huh. And the fact that _you've_ got the hots for Iruka has nothing to do with it?"

Genma couldn't hide the small blush slowly creeping up his neck, but he was fast to turn his back on Kakashi, tossing his reply over his shoulder as he made his way towards the entrance. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" he said, too loudly, efficiently getting Owl's, Kiba's and Cobra's attention.

"Same time as usual tomorrow night?" Owl called after Genma, who gave a thumb up before he disappeared down the corridor.

"That goes for you too", Kiba said to Naruto, slinging an arm around his shoulders and ruffling his hair with his free hand. Naruto battered at Kiba, scowling when he got out of the hold.

"Alright, I'll go I promise!"

"Promise on a lifetime?" Kiba smirked.

"You wish", Naruto snarked back, getting to Kakashi's side and almost hid behind him. The older man gave him an amused glance.

"See you tomorrow night guys, go home and get some rest."

"Rest is not for the wicked, I'm going over the Hyüga compound!" Kiba declared happily, pumping a fist in the air.

"Oh please, Owl said, exasperate. You could almost hear the eye roll. "Like she'll ever agree to go out with you. How many times have you asked her already? I swear-" Their voiced trailed off as they also departed, bickering amongst themselves and leaving Kakashi and Naruto alone in the common room.

"Who are they talking about?" Naruto wondered and followed Kakashi, when the Copy-nin turned and walked in the direction of Tiger's office down the hall.

"Sweet little Hyüga Hinata", Kakashi smiled. "We have a standing bet on when she'll cave and give in to Kiba's insistence for a date."

"What?" Naruto almost cried. "Since when does Kiba want to date Hinata?" Kakashi gave Naruto a patronizing look, as if he was too stupid to understand. Naruto hated when he did that.

"Since their first day as team 8." Naruto wanted to ask more, to know what else he'd missed while being so wrapped up in Sasuke and his own, insane life. "We all know she's going to turn him down again, she's still carrying a torch for you, after all."

Naruto stopped in his tracks, gaping at Kakashi's back. "She does not!" Naruto sputtered at last, when Kakashi turned back to look at him. The patronizing look was back again and Naruto scowled. "I know she used be into me, but I swear she's not anymore!"

"Oh?" Kakashi moved towards him, forcing Naruto to back up until he was pressed up against the wall just outside Tiger's office. "And how do you know that?"

"Well…" Naruto started, not really sure where to look as Kakashi leaned in real close, slowly nuzzling at his temple. "I… kinda asked her. A while ago."

"Really?"

"Y-yeah", Naruto breathed, lids sliding shut when Kakashi pressed a cloth-covered kiss against the spot right beneath Naruto's ear. "She said that…" He had to stop because while Kakashi's mask stopped the feeling of his lips on Naruto's skin, the mere prospect of them was enough to scramble Naruto's brain. Kakashi made an encouraging noise, prompting Naruto to pick up the thread again. "She said that while I'd always have a special place in her heart, I was mostly a source of strength and inspiration than a love interest…" Naruto trailed off again, eyes closing again on their own volition as Kakashi switched sides, kissing down the other side of his neck.

"I see. And aside from Sasuke, does anyone else carry a torch for you right now?" It was like getting doused by a bucket of cold water. Kakashi's words ripped Naruto straight out of arousal and back into reality. That had sounded way more like a question from a jealous lover, than the bland, casual – seemingly innocent – query Kakashi had wanted to disguise it as.

Naruto was suddenly angry; at Kakashi for having women – and men, sometimes – throwing themselves at him, at himself for feeling jealous even when he couldn't help it, at Sasuke for being the bastard he is, and at the world in general for being a shitty place where one could never be certain of anything. He was so sick and tired of it all, to always be on guard and never be able to relax and just freaking ask Kakashi whether he was interested in more or not.

Naruto was unfair, he knew he was unreasonable, for wanting Kakashi to take the first step towards something else than this dancing around each other they had going on, while Naruto was too much of a coward to be the braver and just ask himself.

"I'm really not that popular", Naruto told Kakashi coolly "and isn't it more your department wading through throngs of people wanting you?" Kakashi jerked back as burned, taken by surprise of the abrupt venom in Naruto voice. He'd only wanted to see if Naruto would get jealous, if seeing Kakashi get close to another could get any reaction out of him. Kakashi, older and wiser, though that could be debatable sometimes, should've known better than to let Anko cling to him in front of Naruto.

Kakashi had been an idiot to do that, when Naruto was only shy of four months from discovering Sasuke's philandering. Shit. Shit, shit, shit! He had to do, say, something, anything, to show Naruto that he wasn't like Sasuke; that Naruto could trust Kakashi with his heart, that he wouldn't stomp on it, but treat it like the treasure it truly was.

Taking a step back, Kakashi let his eyes soften, to show how sorry and sincere he was. "Naruto… there's nothing between Anko and me."

"What?" Naruto asked, face blank.

"Anko, the one in the Cat mask", Kakashi said again, motioning in the direction of the other hallway. "There's nothing between us but friendship, I promise."

Naruto turned his face away, arms coming up to cross defensively over his chest. "I didn't ask."

Reaching up, Kakashi gently cupped Naruto's chin, mindful of the claws attached to the fingertips of his gloves. "I want you to know that anyway. While we said we'd keep it casual, I'm not really the man to have several lovers at once."

"Are we?" Naruto asked, reluctantly looking Kakashi in the eyes. "Lovers I mean? You haven't really done anything and we've been dating for months now." Sighing on the inside, Kakashi saw more of mistakes he'd made. Apparently he'd been wrong when wanting to take it slow with Naruto, however much it'd killed him not to pounce and ravish Naruto to the point of no return.

"You're the one who wanted to keep it casual", Kakashi pointed out, heart picking up speed. Was Naruto saying what he thought he was saying?

"I- Yeah, I know but…" Naruto huffed irritably, shaking his head and escaping the hold Kakashi still had on his chin. "I don't really know what I want", Naruto lied, peeking up at Kakashi through his lashes. The Copy-nin sucked in a breath at that, the coy way Naruto was looking at him making sparks of arousal dance up and down his spine.

"What if – "Kakashi began; taking a step closer only to be interrupted by Tiger's muffled voice through the door.

"As amusing as listening to this is, could the two of you keep flirting tomorrow instead? Some of us want to go home and get some sleep some time tonight. Or morning, as it were,"

Kakashi suppressed a peeved growl at Tiger's poor timing. The bastard was probably perfectly aware of what he was intruding on. Giving Naruto a look that told the blond that they were far from finished with the conversation, Kakashi turned on his heel and opened the door, almost stalking inside with Naruto meekly trailing behind, blushing furiously.

The small office was as disorganized as the last time Naruto had been in there; books and scrolls and loose sheets of paper spilling out of the bookcases and over the desk. Tiger didn't even glance up when they walked in, just motioned for them to take a seat in the empty chairs before his desk.

Kakashi's, movements were stiff and angry as he sat down and waited for Tiger to give them his attention. Naruto sat a little straighter, finding himself in a state pending between elated and scared shitless. He desperately wanted to turn back time and scream at Tiger to shut the hell up, to find out what Kakashi had been about to say. As it was, Naruto's gut was filled with butterflies, anticipation, hope and sleepiness waging war between them.

"So", Tiger said at length, when he'd signed the last document in the pile in front of him with flourish. "How did it go?"

"No casualties, all information gathered", Kakashi droned, still vexed but controlled about it, producing a scroll from the pouch around his leg, which he handed to Tiger. "I'd say it was a success."

Tiger hummed, opening the scroll and scanning it before looking up at them again, his eyes resting on Naruto. "Excellent. Rewarding and quite enlightening, if nothing else."

"Yes sir", Kakashi drawled, sinking deeper in his seat.

"How's your training been, Naruto? I heard about your days with Panther and Monkey", Tiger then said, changing the subject so fast, Naruto had a hard time keeping up in his sleep and sex depraved state.

"…Interesting, sir", Naruto replied a little hesitantly. "They're both crazy but excellent teachers."

Tiger nodded, sounding chagrined and amused at the same time when he said, "I know. I couldn't give you anyone else though, they are two of our best and most experienced."

"I understand, sir", Naruto assured him.

"Brilliant results, I must say, one of the finest we've ever seen. Their report was very informative."

Neither Tiger nor Kakashi missed the way Naruto winced, or how his eyes grew dark and a little sad. Kakashi had yet to read the report, but he was almost certain of what Panther and Monkey had taught Naruto, and how they'd gone about to teach him too. He'd trained them both; he knew they hadn't gone easy on Naruto. Their argument from minutes before temporarily pushed to the side, Kakashi focused on the discussion in the now.

"I did my best, sir", Naruto answered at last, pale and quiet as he stared at the floor. Kakashi met Tiger's eyes for a moment, the small nod he gave receiving an answering nod in return. Naruto's reaction to what had happened during those ten days wasn't unusual, but expected. If he hadn't been a little disturbed by it they'd have been more worried.

"Well you're in luck, kid. Thanks to them – and yourself – you're going on your first, live mission." Naruto's head snapped up lightning fast, eyes losing the dull edge as he stared at Tiger with excitement in his gaze.

"Really? When?" Kakashi had to hold back on a chuckle at the sight of Naruto, hanging onto the edge of his seat and nearly vibrating with contained eagerness.

Tiger wasn't as successful and huffed a quiet laugh. Though the mission he had in mind was no laughing matter, it was time for Naruto to spread his wings and show what he was made of, to prove just how serious he was.

"As soon as we've compiled and assimilated the information from this scroll, you'll be dispatched together with team 13. I'd say in two or three days. Kakashi will let you know when it's time."

"Hell yes!" Naruto exclaimed, uneasiness forgotten in the face of a mission, a real mission, for the first time in months. Kakashi's joy was more muted, dimmed underneath the realization of what kind of mission they'd be sent on.

"Alright, thanks for letting us know", Kakashi said, standing with a little less grace than usual, due to the tiredness slowly sinking its claws in him. "Let's go home and get some sleep", he told a smiling Naruto. Tiger waved them out, smile dying and dropping off his face as they closed the door behind them. He knew what this mission would do to Naruto, but had no other choice. No simulations or illusions could fully prepare Naruto for this.

As he was mourning for the impending loss of Naruto's last innocence, Tiger was still hopeful. He knew Naruto would come through, one way or the other. Sighing deeply, Tiger turned back to his paperwork, the last before he could go home to his own bed. Thinking that the coming week would most likely turn out most interesting, he picked up his pen again. A commander's work never ceased, not to mention the damned paperwork. Oh well…

tbc...

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><p><strong>AN: **As always, please leave a comment for me. I do really want your opinions on this, what could be done better, what you liked and disliked etc. Just, no flames please, they will be ignored and/or laughed at ^^


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Yay, I'm not dead! And neither is this story! I've written a word here, a word there and then waddaya know? I got a chapter out. 23 pages just for you. Thank you all who have been leaving comments on this despite my general lousy-ness and inability to post more regularly. When I started re-posting this I only intended to do some simple editing, not a complete re-write. But, here we are now and I'll keep on going. Thank you for your patience 3

**Warnings:** This chapter contains death, gruesome deaths and shock and a lite gore. It could possibly be triggering for those of you who are a little sensitive. Read with caution! Also, so not beta-ed. I'll go over it some time but if you find anything glaringly offensive, let me know and I'll fix it!

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><p><strong>Cover<strong>

_By General16_

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

_Innocence - the state of being unsullied by sin or moral wrong; lacking a knowledge of evil_

Naruto wasn't really sure how he'd let Kiba talk him into coming to the get-together, not when he'd known how he would end up. Kiba was great at dragging people along, getting them to do stuff, but sticking to the people he'd coaxed along with whatever he felt like doing, that was another matter entirely.

That's how Naruto found himself at the gathering Kiba and Genma had talked about, sitting alone at a table in the back of a small bar, slowly nursing a beer as he watched the crowd clustered around other tables and at the bar.

Kiba had apparently roped everyone Naruto knew into coming too. Neji and Shikamaru sat at the other end of the long, narrow room, talking quietly over their drinks. Genma had somehow wheedled Kakashi into coming, keeping the silver-haired Copy-nin occupied with some kind of game next to them. Naruto smirked every time Kakashi shot an exasperated glance in his direction.

Lee and Sakura were seated side by side at the bar, smiling and talking and giggling, generally just ignoring the world around them. Ino had challenged Kiba at dart; even the hubbub in the room wasn't enough to drown the noise of them bickering over scores and rules. Hinata, Shino and Choji were sitting further down the bar, flanked by Ten Ten.

Some of the older shinobi was scattered around the bar too; Raido, Iruka, Kotetsu, Izumo and Anko hogging the table next to Kakashi and Genma, cheering and catcalling as the game progressed. And then there was Sasuke. Naruto had honestly not expected him to show up at all; Sasuke had always steered clear of gatherings like this.

Seated at the end of the bar, with his back against the door, Sasuke was drinking to himself, seemingly content to just watch the crowd and stare at Naruto at regular intervals. It freaked Naruto out; being under Sasuke's unwavering, black gaze every other five minutes or so. Also add the fact that Naruto, who had always been rather adept at reading Sasuke's eyes even when his face had no signs or tells to speak of, couldn't deduce the look in Sasuke's stare, and Naruto felt like his skin might start to crawl.

The game which Kakashi had been roped into had to near its end, because Anko's shouts of good natured scorn coupled with Iruka's guffawing encouragement grew louder, and when Genma moved a little to the side, leaving Naruto with a glimpse of his face, the blond knew Kakashi's win was imminent.

Kakashi shot Naruto another look, mischief and amusement dancing like sparkling stars in his eye and Naruto couldn't tear his own away. It wasn't the first time since they'd started dancing around each other that it had hit Naruto like a punch in the chest, but he just couldn't get over the fact that Kakashi, this beautiful, smart and incredibly talented man wanted him. Like really wanted him, Naruto, with all of his trust issues and brash personality and the whole being-scorned-by-the-village-thing.

Genma said something and Kakashi broke the eye contact, focusing on beating his friend during loud applauses and cheering from their little audience. Naruto smiled to himself as he took another swig of his beer, choking on the mouthful of bitter beverage as he hadn't even noticed Sasuke approaching until the last Uchiha was taking a seat opposite him.

"What the hell!" Naruto sputtered once he'd managed to swallow the beer, coughing as Sasuke calmly reached out with a napkin held between two fingers, silently offering it to Naruto to wipe his mouth with.

"Naruto", Sasuke said blankly. "How are you?"

Stunned to silence, Naruto forgot all about the bar, the people watching with bathed breaths and glared at the other boy, blue eyes cold and hard. "Fine until you came here", he replied a little archly.

Sasuke, unperturbed as always, merely raised an eyebrow. "So hostile. Can't I even ask how you are anymore?"

"Do you even care?" Naruto challenged, feeling his temper spiking a little.

Sasuke shrugged. "I wouldn't ask otherwise."

"Well I'm fine. Just fine."

"I'm really glad that you're fine Naruto, because you won't be when I'm through with you." Sakura suddenly hissing in Naruto's right ear made him flinch. Sasuke wasn't fast enough to hide his amused smirk as Sakura planted herself in the chair next to Naruto, earning himself glares from green and blue eyes both.

"Why do you have to be so mean, Sakura-chan", Naruto pouted, rubbing his ear. Sakura just rolled her eyes and punched Naruto in the shoulder, ignoring the pained expression flitting over his face. It wasn't more than he deserved anyway.

"I tend to be mean when my best friend suddenly drops off of the surface of the earth and haven't given as much as a word in over a month."

Naruto hunched a little under the heated glower directed at him, knowing he sounded defensive when he said, "I've been busy! Why doesn't anyone of you believe me when I say it?"

"You haven't been in any of the training fields for almost three months", Sasuke said blandly after draining the last from his bottle. Of course Naruto hadn't used his regular training spots; he was constantly training with team 13 or his crazy mentor-duo at the private ANBU-fields these days. It wasn't like Naruto could tell Sasuke that, however, so he kept his mouth shut and rubbed his abused flesh.

"I've been busy outside of the village", Naruto protested, starting to feel harassed.

"With what?" Sakura asked bluntly, leaning in closer when Naruto avoided her eyes, looking everywhere else than at her. Naruto was shit at lying to her, something Sakura knew very well; he just started to blush and stutter under her steady gaze, a fact she wasn't above abusing from time to time. "Naruto…" she started, the warning clear in her tone.

"Missions alright, god what are you, my parents?!" Naruto finally caved, shrinking in his seat when both of his former teammates perked up, paying close attention to him.

Sakura eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of missions?"

Silence fell between them, because Naruto didn't know how to tell her, an uncomfortable silence that left Naruto twitching in his seat, dying for an escape. When a hand fell on his shoulder, the warm, broad palm familiar and very much welcomed, Naruto could've kissed Kakashi right then and there.

"That's classified", Kakashi said, his voice light and casual, and though his exposed eye flitted over Sakura, warm and smiling, when his gaze reached Sasuke it cooled considerably. "It's time to go, Naruto."

Neither Sasuke nor Sakura missed the relieved expression flashing over Naruto's face or the way Kakashi's fingers curled possessively over Naruto's shoulder, fingertips brushing against the small part of exposed collarbone with a familiarity Sasuke didn't like at all, and Sakura found her inner fangirl shrieking approvingly about.

"Yeah. Okay. Yes. Time to… go", Naruto muttered, glancing at Sasuke as he got on his feet, and Kakashi's hand slid down to rest at the small of his back. "I'll talk to you later, Sakura-chan. Sasuke." Snatching the backpack hanging over the back of his chair, Naruto smiled at Sakura and turned to the exit. He ignored his burning ears as he avoided all the knowing smirks and gazes that seemed directed at him from all over the room.

Kakashi nodded at Sakura and Sasuke, eye shutting into a happy little crescent in an imitation of a smile. "Sasuke, glad to see you out once in a while."

Sasuke tipped his head in acknowledgement as he watched them go, and Naruto could swear he felt Sasuke's Sharingan burn holes into the back of his head as Kakashi ushered him out, waving to their catcalling friends.

"Did you see that? Did you know they were dating?"

"No. I didn't."

Sasuke's flat reply was the last both of them heard before the door slid shut behind them, leaving them alone out in the cool night air.

"So, that went well!" Kakashi said cheerfully, after a rather lengthy silence that hung heavily between them. Naruto turned incredulous eyes on the Copy-nin.

"That went well? Oh my god. Do you realize how much shit I'm in right now?"

Ignoring Naruto's dramatic outburst, Kakashi took a firm grip around his elbow, leading him towards Naruto's apartment. "Nonsense. Now Sakura can breathe easier when she knows you're on missions with me, and Sasuke…" Kakashi trailed off, giving a casual shrug as to say: 'I don't really care what Sasuke thinks as long as he knows you're off the market.' It was kinda disturbing how well Naruto had gotten to know Kakashi, if he could read that much from a mere shrug.

"Sakura", Naruto started slowly "is going to maim, possibly kill me, for not telling her about you. Sasuke, the persistent bastard, is going to get even more persistent now that he knows he's got competition and I'll most likely see more of him than I want", he deadpanned, missing how Kakashi's mood shifted, from cheerful to concerned.

Or so Kakashi told himself, as he refused to label the burning feeling in his gut as possessive jealousness.

"Just keep telling him no", he suggested flippantly, ignoring Naruto's exasperated huff. The argument dispersed after that, leaving them to walk in companionable silence until they reached Naruto's place, feet mutely traipsing the stairs towards Naruto's floor. They stopped outside Naruto's front door, the younger man leaning against the frame while Kakashi leaned in, one arm resting above Naruto's head, while the other circled his waist.

Nuzzling Naruto's ear, Kakashi inhaled deeply, enjoying Naruto's scent and the small hitch in his breath at Kakashi's proximity. Naruto pressed closer, taking pleasure in when Kakashi exhaled heavily and knowing he was the one to affect the Copy-nin, the one who made him hot around the collar.

Sneaking his arms around Kakashi, fingers teasing underneath the hem of his flak jacket, Naruto pressed a small, chaste kiss against Kakashi's masked mouth. "You want to come in?" he asked a little shyly, hoping against hope that Kakashi would – finally - take him up on his offer.

It was like flipping a switch. Kakashi stiffened in his arms, not much, but enough for Naruto to tell the difference. Looking up and meeting the older man's eye, Naruto could almost see Kakashi's walls slamming up, his gaze shuttering.

"We have a mission tomorrow. I'd hate to see you exhausted when it's so important." Despite the mention of the longed-for mission, the teasing quality and phrasing, Naruto, for once, was able to see right through Kakashi and read between the lines. Dropping his arms and letting them hang at his sides, the back of his head connected with the door frame as he leaned back and looked to the ceiling, heaving a great sigh.

"It's always excuses with you, isn't it?" Naruto didn't care if it sounded bitter; truth to tell, he was bitter, and tired of waiting and just plain sick of getting turned down. Kakashi withdrew far enough to be able to look Naruto in the face, his single eye unreadable.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Feeling irritated, all of a sudden, Naruto snapped, "You keep avoiding me-this!" He gestured between them. "I'm getting real sick of all of your lame excuses! If you're not interested in this anymore just say the word, stop treating me like I'm some fragile flower or something! I won't break down, just tell me the truth!"

Kakashi's eye gleamed from an emotion Naruto couldn't name, his face serious and still as he regarded the blond for a moment.

"That's what you think?" he asked at length, an odd note in his voice.

Naruto growled, annoyed. "Well what else am I supposed to think? I ask you inside and you all but bolt and-" His rant was cut off when Kakashi suddenly took hold of his shoulders and all but slammed him up against the door. Naruto yelped, surprised, and when he reached up to brace against Kakashi's chest, his wrists were caught in a bruising grip and yanked above his head, pinned.

Kakashi's eye was dark with unknown intent when he leaned in, stopping with his nose and inch or so from Naruto's.

"You think I don't want you? You think I don't go home after every night I've spent with you, aching to my bones for you? You think… I don't want to push this door open…" he pressed his hips against Naruto's, letting the younger man feel the hard ridge of his erection against his stomach, "take you inside and just fuck your brains out?"

Naruto's breath hitched again and he bit down around a moan; partly from the imaginary Kakashi's words produced, partly from hearing the Copy-nin utter the word 'fuck', but most of all from the way Kakashi's voice, always deep and smooth, had gone dark and sort of rumbling.

But Naruto wasn't some wilting wall-flower, had never been delicate or weak willed. He always gave as well as he got. "So why don't you?" He snapped right back at Kakashi, fighting against Kakashi's hold on his wrists, wanting to be freed so he could wrap his arms around Kakashi, to hold him closer, until neither of them could tell where the other began or ended.

Switching his grip, so he could reach down and yank his mask away, Kakashi caught Naruto's mouth in an aggressive kiss; teeth and tongue all but devouring the younger man's. It was all Naruto could do to keep up, mind scrambling to hang on with the quick turns of Kakashi's actions, drawing a deep, rumbling groan from Kakashi when he got up his toes, aligning their crotches and pressed back. The friction was amazing but not enough, not when he wanted to feel Kakashi's hands on him, didn't matter where, just desperate for some skin on skin contact.

Naruto mewled even when fighting for dominance, blind arousal lending him strength when, normally, he would've given in to Kakashi in a heartbeat. Kakashi took Naruto's chin in a strong grip, rough callouses sending sparks of excitement dancing up and down Naruto's spine. Kakashi snarled when Naruto's teeth nipped at his lower lip, and the older man pulled back a little, his grey eye stormy and glinting in the dim light out on the landing.

Naruto chased after him, 22lust-stupid as all he wanted was to have more; more heat, more pressure, more, more, more… until they'd stop argue and just give in to the fire roaring between them. When it became obvious that Kakashi wasn't going to grant him more kisses, Naruto slumped against the older man, his forehead coming to rest on Kakashi's shoulder.

"Why don't you?" Naruto breathed between harsh pants, his pulse hammering in his ears.

"Because, despite what you think, Naruto… you're not ready. Not yet."

Naruto wanted to groan, he really wanted to, but refrained in the last second. In an echo of last night, when they'd finished the surveillance mission, he murmured, "When?"

Kakashi's sigh was as heavy as Naruto's heart. "I don't really know what I thought, expecting you to at least exercise a little patience with this." To soften the slightly harsh words, Kakashi reached up and gently traced Naruto's jawline. "Just… wait. We've got time."

It still wasn't good enough answer for him. Naruto didn't like it when people decided for him, what he did and did not want, what he was or wasn't ready for. As his arms were finally free, Naruto took a firm hold of Kakashi's flak jacket, and pulled. A little surprised, but still fast and alert enough to brace himself against the door behind Naruto, Kakashi looked down on the younger man, not protesting when Naruto kissed him again.

Slower and more tender than Kakashi's assault on him, Naruto managed to coax another, rumbling groan from Kakashi. Instead of reveling in the triumph, instead of letting himself gloat over the small victory, of having Kakashi giving in to him, Naruto retreated. He gave Kakashi a coy look from underneath his eyelashes, blue eyes glinting mischievously.

"What if the time's now?"

Kakashi's chuckle was warm and low and he couldn't resist putting his hands on Naruto's hips, maybe squeezing a little harder than necessary. "It's not, but point for trying."

Kakashi gave Naruto a last, lingering kiss before taking a step back, his mask back in place before he was even two paces away.

"We have a mission tomorrow. I'll come get you just before midnight; we'll meet with the others at the gate. See to that you have enough equipment and rations for a week."

Nodding, a little sad at the loss of Kakashi's warmth and kisses, Naruto fumbled for the door knob behind him. "What kind of mission is it?"

Hesitating slightly, Kakashi eventually said, "A live one."

The sudden burst of butterflies in his gut must've showed on his face, because Kakashi gave a grim sort of smile, a sad glimmer in his eyes as he nodded in confirmation.

"Until then." And with a few seals, Kakashi was gone in a whirl of leaves.

* * *

><p>Next day, after waking up with sticky underwear – which had not occurred since the beginning of his teens – and going through his usual morning tasks, Naruto headed out to the ANBU training grounds around noon. Clad in his ANBU gear and blank mask, it was easy to slip relatively unseen through the village; face and hair safely covered by porcelain and cloth.<p>

Once there, alone, Naruto took his time. He warmed up with katas, trying to arrange his straying thoughts through the calm motions. Keeping only half of his attention on his surroundings, his mind kept repeating what had happened the night before, over and over. Like a motion picture in the back of his head, Kakashi's heated words were stuck in a loop.

Kakashi wanted him. Wanted to sleep with him, wanted… Whatever more the Copy-nin wanted from him, Naruto wasn't brave enough to speculate on. Calming his throbbing heart with the conviction that it would probably be alright in the end, Naruto shifted from Kakashi's words to his actions. And what actions it had been… Pausing briefly, to give his stirring erection a firm 'Not right now', Naruto nearly – only nearly – missed the sudden presence of another chakra signature close to him.

Turning around, he came face to face with Iruka, decked out in his ANBU garb, minus the Dolphin mask. It was little of a shock, seeing his foster-father dressed like that, like a killer, looking nothing like the kindhearted, albeit hot-tempered chuunin teacher he was known as. Iruka's face was somber, almost sad as warm, brown eyes dipped and rose in a slow perusal up and down Naruto's form.

"Y'know…" Iruka started. "It's never easy when I meet any of my students in the ANBU lounge. With you-" He made a scoffing sound, "I don't think I even have to tell you what it does to me?"

Naruto shook his head. "No I- I think I get it."

Iruka nodded as he walked up to Naruto, gloved hands reaching up to cradle scarred cheeks lovingly. Mindful of his clawed fingertips, Iruka gently ran his thumb over Naruto's cheekbone.

"Don't get killed. Whatever happens during this mission, just? Make it out alive. Can you promise me that?" Iruka was like the rest of them, all serious and business whenever in the uniform, even more so when in ANBU gear. That still didn't stop his eyes from tearing a little; as he pulled Naruto closer and his arms came down to hug the younger man closer.

Naruto closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the top of Iruka's head, inhaling the comforting scent of cinnamon and black powder that always seemed to cling to his foster-father's skin.

"I'll do my best", he murmured into soft, chocolate strands. "But… y'know, you're starting to freak my out a little."

Iruka's arms just tightened around him. "Good. Maybe that'll keep you alive."

* * *

><p>Elven thirty pm, Naruto was nearly vibrating from impatience, his steps jerky and sharp as he paced back and forth in front of his bed. Every two seconds his eyes cut to the uniform spread out on top of it, lying there and mocking him, daring him to put it on and seal the deal on all the changes he'd made in his life lately.<p>

It frightened him, more than he cared to admit. Was he brave enough to go through with the last step? To hammer the last nail in his coffin and turn himself over to the new path on which he'd set his feet upon, so many months ago? Was he ready to embrace everything ANBU offered him, at the price of his innocence, morals and, possibly, sanity?

Naruto clenched his jaw, eyes hardening as he took a decisive step closer to the bed, hands slowly reaching for the uniform. Shoving the churning sensation in his gut down, he moved with deliberate care, unhurriedly dressing himself in a new life, a new fate.

It was like shedding skin. As every piece of the uniform covered him, as black fabric slid over his skin, as dark grey buckles were tightened a new layer of the boy he'd used to be fell away; leaving behind a man who was maybe not entirely sure of who he was right then, but damned determined to find out who he could be.

Standing in front of the full body mirror hanging on his bedroom door, he tied the black bandana around his head, covering the last of his tells. When finished, Naruto's blue eyes dipped down and up in a slow perusal, face as blank as the white mask clasped in his right hand. A flicker of chakra had him turning around to Kakashi, who waited for him on the window sill, eyes somber and a little duller than usual.

Kakashi too looked different. Of course he'd seen it before; Kakashi's transition from Konoha's lazy, Copy-nin, to Wolf, ANBU captain of unit 13. It had never struck him as hard as it did then, though. Gone was the languid slouch, the lethargic way he regarded the world around him was replaced with a deadly confidence, visible even when in rest and motionless.

Kakashi gave a nod and they both slid their masks over their faces, Kakashi's snarling Wolf a startling contrast to Naruto's smooth, unmarked visage. They moved easily across Konoha, feet barely connecting to the roofs as they sprinted like invisible shadows to the gate, where team 13 awaited them.

Dolphin, Wolverine and Raven greeted them with somber nods, keeping quiet as Kakashi handed Naruto a wireless radio and waited while Naruto put the little earpiece in is ear and the mic around his throat. Kakashi signaled with his hand when he was done, and they moved, falling into a loose, diamond formation as they walked outside the gate and then jumped up into the tress; leaving more than a village behind. Naruto couldn't help but feel a thread of dread running through his initial excitement, wondering what the coming week would have in store for him.

Kakashi kept a fast tempo, barely letting them stop for food and water as they moved further and further from Konoha. All Naruto could tell was that they were traveling in the direction of Grass country, though he was hard pressed to guess exactly where their final destination was. Those thoughts quickly fell away to the back of his mind, however, as he was mostly concentrating on keeping up with the others, afraid to fall too far behind or lose sight of them.

After what felt like an eternity, but was closer to 18 hours, Kakashi finally gave a sign and they halted, perched on branches as Kakashi jumped down between the thinning mass of tress, slowly investigating the small clearing below, making sure it was safe before letting his team join him. Naruto didn't dare to ask why he didn't just let Neji check it with his Byuakugan, figuring that it was, as captain, Kakashi's prerogative, not Naruto's.

"Alright", Kakashi said when they gathered around him, "Let's rest here. Make camp, we're moving out in fourteen hundred hours."

After three months with them, Naruto was fairly ingrained with their habits; and he went to gather fire wood and water, prepared bedrolls and produced rations while the others scouted the area, set up traps and ensured their safety as best as they could. Once everything was set up, as one, they pushed their masks to the side of their heads and allowed themselves to relax a little.

They ate in silence, each man concentrating on getting their energy reserves restored and left the talking to later. The fire was small, barely giving any light in the encroaching dusk, but thanks to the close ring they formed around it, its heat was enough to chase away any chilliness in the evening air.

"Now then", Kakashi said when they'd eaten their fill. He took out a scroll from the pouch on his leg, handing it to Iruka to read, who passed it on to Neji and so on. "Our mission is to dispatch Atsuki Yuzuha. What we've gathered so far is this: He is fifty-six years old, married with a younger woman, name unknown and have three children, names also unknown, with her. A couple of months ago, word reached us that someone is making subtle, but hostile, movements towards Konoha and some of her allies. Weapons have been smuggled over the border from Earth country into Grass in pretty big amounts, leading us to believe that whoever's behind this will strike, and soon", Kakashi reported gravely, eyes and face as serious as Naruto had ever seen him.

"During our surveillance of him, it has become clear that Yuzuha is the one providing this unknown warmonger with both finances and weapons. Our orders from Konoha are to find the documents regarding the money transfers as well as the location of the weapons, smuggling routes, dates and what Yuzuha's connection to Earth country is. His family will be dealt with by non-lethal means while Yuzuha will be dispatched as soon as possible."

Naruto's gut clenched as Kakashi gave them the information, nausea rising in the back of his throat. Shikamaru gave the scroll in his hands a quick once over, before handing it to Naruto, who took it with numb fingers. With Kakashi spewing information in the background, Naruto slowly read the words on the scroll without really comprehending them. But, there it was, in black and white.

His codename beside the dispatch order.

Trepidation was too weak of a word to describe the feeling fluttering in Naruto's gut, a dazed sensation slowly falling over him the more he read. This was it. His re-birth and damnation all rolled into one. Kakashi's voice reached him as through a fog.

"We have to exercise extreme caution here. This man is smart, dangerous and has nothing much going in the moral department. He will respond with violence at the first sign of danger."

He fell silent, waiting for their nods of affirmation before moving on. He paused, however, when Naruto remained both silent and motionless.

"Yellow?"

Naruto's head snapped up so fast, he was afraid of giving himself a whiplash. "Yes, sir?"

"Did you hear me?" Naruto didn't have to see Kakashi's face to know that his right brow was arched.

"Extremely dangerous, smart and bad to the bone. Got it", Naruto replied, earning himself quiet snickers from Neji, Shikamaru and Iruka. Kakashi allowed himself a small chuckle too, and reached into a pocket on his vest, producing a small map. He unfolded it on the ground and motioned for the others to gather around him, to take a look themselves.

The map was of Earth's south edge, where it bordered against Grass and Rain country. Kakashi stabbed a finger on a spot on the map marked with a small X. "We have to infiltrate his mansion to accomplish this. He only makes collector rounds on the fifth each month, where he also meets with his contacts. It took Raven and Wolverine almost two weeks to track him back to this location."

Naruto glanced up at Neji, who was staring at the map intently and Shikamaru, whose whole body radiated lazy boredom. He wondered what Kakashi and Iruka had been up two during those, two weeks, where half of the team had tracked their target and Naruto had been off training with Panther and Monkey. Neji's elbow to his ribs jostled Naruto out of his thoughts, making him hiss quietly.

"Pay attention", Neji murmured calmly, eyes on another map; this one on the topography of the area where the mansion was located.

"I am", Naruto muttered under his breath, edging closer to the map under Kakashi's scrutiny.

"The mansion lies outside this village." Kakashi showed Naruto a small dot to the left of the X. "It's right next to where the three borders of Earth, Grass and Waterfall country converge. This is considered unfriendly territory and has been for the last twenty years. Our identities has to remain secret to the local populace too because, while not confirmed, we think that Yuzuha has quite a few numbers of them on his payroll. We're taking this route to reach the village." Kakashi's finger slid along the small slip of border between Grass and Waterfall country, showing Naruto the way.

"Wouldn't it be easier to bypass the village, instead of going through it?" Naruto asked, eyes scanning the map for an alternate route. "Like here", he said, stabbing his finger to a point slightly to the right of the dot on the map.

Kakashi shook his head. "That's impossible. The terrain around the village and Yuzuha's mansion is extremely hilly country; it took Dolphin and I almost as long as Raven and Wolverine to map it out. We've tried to find alternate means but, while doable, it would take us almost a month to reach the mansion." Meeting Naruto's eyes, Kakashi looked as chagrined over the fact as Naruto felt. "The quickest and riskiest way is, unfortunately, through the village."

Nodding slowly, Naruto looked back to the map. "Alright."

"How are you feeling?"

The unexpected question made Naruto stiffen to the point where he felt his muscles tremble from the strain. "Fine." The curt reply had Kakashi snorting, clearly saying that he didn't quite believe Naruto. But Kakashi didn't push the matter, just left Naruto to study the map by himself with a light pat on the shoulder.

"You should try and get some sleep, we have a busy week coming up", Kakashi murmured as he turned back to their comrades. It was unnerving seeing Naruto, usually so cheery and outgoing, quiet and subdued. Kakashi knew that Naruto was nervous; he vividly remembered his own entry into ANBU, twenty years ago. He'd entered during the end of the Third ninja War; the missions and reality of ANBU more bloody and scaring than Kakashi had ever imagined. It'd been hard, despite his resolve to go through with it, and it had opened his eyes to what ANBU really was.

It was getting your hands dirty, to be able to carry out the harsh missions directives and come home intact. It was killing or end up killed, survival second to completing the mission you'd been sent out to do. It was dealing with survival guilt; it was cradling comrades as they bled out in your arms. It was coming home and meeting accusing eyes and tense silences, unasked questions of why you weren't dead, like the others. It was dealing with nightmares and post-mission shock; it was climbing back out of the hole you'd fallen into. It was insanity clawing chunks out of your reason, darkness prowling your mind every waking and sleeping hour.

It was degrading, cruel, vicious... It was _ruin_, in every sense of the word.

But Kakashi had pulled through, had gritted his teeth and carried on, mission after mission after mission because… Because he'd had no one to come back to, his one and only love being his village and the fierce loyalty he held towards it.

Kakashi was feverishly hoping that Naruto would make it, that he would endure and not succumb to the pressure, like so many had before him. The knowledge that his sensitive and caring Naruto was about to kill a man, a person, had Kakashi's gut churning unpleasantly. Had it been his choice, Kakashi would've kept Naruto as far as possible from the mere possibility.

It was, however, Naruto's own choice, and Kakashi refused to let any emotions slip past the lid he'd put on them as he'd donned his uniform.

This was the path Naruto had chosen, and now it was Kakashi's responsibility to make sure that he carried out his duty. It was time for Naruto to stop putting his head in the sand. Ninjas were trained to kill from the tender age of seven, when they entered the Academy, and it was only foolish to believe that you could lead a life as a shinobi without spilling blood at some point. Naruto had gotten a taste of what being a dispatcher really meant, with Panther and Monkey, and while Kakashi didn't know everything of what they'd put Naruto through, he had a hunch.

Kakashi knew Naruto wasn't a coward by any means, but his big and empathetic heart, one of his most precious traits, would now become a burden to him. Kakashi wasn't trying to be cruel, but he couldn't deny the harsh reality they lived in. Shinobi were tools, deadly tools, honed to kill without emotions or regret.

Sighing quietly, Kakashi sat down beside Iruka, noticing the worried glance the younger man gave him. "It'll be fine", Kakashi said, not knowing who he was trying to convince; Iruka or himself.

Naruto suppressed a snort of his own when Kakashi walked away. Yeah, resting when he was about to go out and kill a man. Sleep, Naruto knew, would not come easily and would, most likely, remain elusive for the coming months.

Naruto folded the map with a sigh and joined the others, staring into the flames of the small fire as his thoughts wandered. This was why Naruto hadn't considered ANBU before; the mere thought of killing filled him with so much dread, he was nearly nauseous from it.

He didn't want to kill, despised it even. He knew that Kakashi, Iruka, Shikamaru or Neji didn't enjoy it either; only seeing it as a necessity to protect the people living in Konoha and the Fire country. In order for people to live freely, shinobi sacrificed a piece of their humanity every time they went out on a mission. And ironically enough, as far as Naruto had been able to figure out, assassination missions were almost more common than escorting these days. Naruto wondered if the villagers of Konoha would sleep well at night if they knew that their freedom, lifestyle and protection were bought through blood.

A voice in his ear startled him out of his musings. "Let's get some sleep."

Naruto blinked at the fire, now burned down to smoldering embers, and turned to Kakashi, who was sitting close, almost too close, and watching him patiently. Nodding, Naruto got up to follow the older man to their bedrolls. Kakashi nodded to Iruka and Shikamaru, who took one tent while Neji took first watch. They would rotate throughout the night with Neji first, Shikamaru second, Kakashi third, Naruto fourth and Iruka taking the fifth shift. That way they would each get enough rest and preserve energy for the coming days.

Lying down before Kakashi, Naruto rolled to rest on his side, his back to Kakashi as the other man took the bedroll closest to him. Kakashi had never tried to touch Naruto in anything but distant professionalism while on duty; keeping their private interactions firmly separated from their professional life. That's why Naruto couldn't suppress a flinch of surprise when Kakashi came closer behind him and snaked an arm around his waist, pulling Naruto flush against his chest.

Naruto hissed, "Wha-"

"Shh", Kakashi murmured in his ear. "I won't do anything. Just let me sleep like this."

Having a sneaking suspicious that the embrace was more for his sake than Kakashi's, Naruto slowly relaxed back against the Copy-nin, lying awake long after Kakashi had fallen into slumber, listening to the night around them and dreading the approaching dawn.

* * *

><p>Kakashi hadn't been kidding about the rough terrain; Naruto realized when they arrived at the village of Goodan, a day later. The small settlement was surrounded by rolling hills and dizzying drops, narrow, wild rivers having carved their way straight through the woody hills centuries ago. They'd crossed six bridges already, slowly making their way over the seventh when they were finally able to spot Goodan. Nestled against a steep rock wall, the village was well defended against anything with a mountain at its back and crisscrossing ravines on the other sides.<p>

Kakashi was walking a step ahead, decked out in rough and worn farmer clothes. His usually, floppy hair was slicked back, tangled in greasy clumps on his scalp, though a small lock had managed to escape and hung down over his scarred left eye. Kakashi had forgone the eye patch this time, only keeping the Sharingan firmly hidden behind his shut left eye. He walked with a slouch, projecting and perfecting the image of a tired and tattered traveler impeccably.

Naruto was doing his best to imitate the exhausted impression, keeping his head bowed, letting his hair hang down in his face and hide his too alert eyes from sight. Shuffling after him was Iruka, more dirty than Naruto had ever seen him. He was faking a limp, letting his left leg take all of his weight, a stick serving as a makeshift cane lending him balance.

Shikamaru didn't have to try too hard to seem dead on his feet, as it was his usual appearance, though the way he'd let his hair down was. His clothes looked as though they'd been collected from a long, dead body, scavenged by animals and nature.

Neji brought up the rear, his long hair a tangled mass, with twigs, bits and pieces of leaves in there. He wore a cloth over his eyes, playing blind with a firm grip on the back of Shikamaru's threadbare jacket, equally dressed and miserable looking.

The guard at the end of the bridge glared suspiciously at them as they drew closer, dull, blue eyes roving over their ratty appearances. Naruto had to resist the urge to reach up and claw at his scalp. Even though he knew he didn't have lice, it sure felt like it.

They stopped when the guard stepped out from his small, ramshackle booth; a worn spear threateningly clutched in his hands.

"State your business", he growled with a voice like gravel. Naruto wanted to clear his throat just from hearing it.

"We're here to harvest some Mountain Lunar Bells", Kakashi almost wheezed, shuffling closer to Naruto and putting a hand on his shoulder when he seemed to lose his balance for a second.

The guard's glare grew more intense. "I'm sure you can find Lunar Bells somewhere else", he almost spat, spear quivering as his shoulders and arms tensed.

Kakashi shook his head wearily. "We've been on the road for months. We've looked all over the country, this is-" he stopped to cough, somehow making it come out rattling and wet-sounding. "This is our last chance. Please…" Kakashi stumbled, jarring Naruto, forcing him to take a wobbling step back, knocking into Iruka, who made a wounded noise in the back of his throat and hunched his shoulders defensively.

Neji's forehead wrinkled in concern, the hand still clutching Shikamaru's shirt tugging, making Shikamaru take a step forward to support Iruka. The guard eyed them again; Naruto's pulse sky-rocketed even as he kept his face blank, his heart feeling like it was about to beat itself out of his chest.

"You sick or something?" the guard barked at last, sounding less sour and more alarmed. "You can't enter the village if you're carrying any diseases, you're not welcome here!"

"No!" Kakashi exclaimed, letting the outburst end on a wet cough again. "We're not sick, just tired. We just need a couple of days to collect the Lunar Bells and then we'll be on our way again, I swear!"

"The Lunar Bells are famous for their healing qualities", the guard argued, even as he took a step back. "Why do you want it if you're not sick?"

"Our village…" Naruto cut in, letting tears gather in his eyes, raising his head a little to peer up at the guard from underneath his dirty, blond fringe. "They're dying and our healer couldn't leave herself. She sent us-" Kakashi let himself lean more on Naruto, making him wobble again. "We're the last hope for our village."

The guard was silent for a moment, and then he indicated towards Iruka and Neji. "What happened to them?"

"Tsuka fell down and twisted his ankle and dislocated his shoulder", Shikamaru ground out, "and he probably bruised a couple of ribs too. And Riku is blind from birth, but an excellent Scenter." The guard actually regarded Neji with a little more respect after hearing that; Scenters were known and quite revered in Waterfall country for their ability to recognize rare flowers and herbs just by scenting them. While the Mountain Lunar Bell was a well-known flower in Waterfall country, its appearance was not, though its scent was quite distinct. Neji's disguise as a Scenter was a perfect way to keep his famous Hyüga eyes hidden from the world, while gaining them access to the village they had to pass through. Naruto had never been so glad to hear Kakashi sprouting odd information about different countries, as he'd been when Kakashi had given them their disguises.

"Looks like you have a healer with you…" The guard really didn't want to let them in, and Naruto started to grow impatient.

"An apprentice, sir", Kakashi replied, slowly righting himself and taking his weight from Naruto, for which he was grateful.

The guard regarded them for a long while, conflicting expressions flitting over his face in rapt succession. "You may pass through the village", he relented at length, slowly lowering his spear. "You may pass it on your way back. But you stay out of it. No staying, no lingering, got it?"

"Yes, sir, thank you, sir", Kakashi almost simpered, forcing out a smile, when all he wanted to do was to pull out one of the kunai hidden on him and bury it in the guard's chest. But he reined himself in, as the guard stepped back into his booth and let them pass, his watery eyes following their small group until they disappeared behind one of the houses lining the trodden dirt path winding through Goodan, towards the mountain behind it.

They didn't relax until they were more than three miles from Goodan, and it was kinda hilarious how Kakashi straightened with a faint groan, his back cracking a little. Neji all but ripped the cloth from his face, wrinkling his nose disdainfully as he tried to get the majority of underbrush untangled from his hair. Shikamaru's expression or posture didn't change a bit.

"You want a comb or something, Neji?" Naruto asked over his shoulder, unable to suppress a grin when Neji glared at him.

"No."

"Oh c'mon", Naruto snickered. "I can help you out and everything."

Shikamaru sighed, his elbow sharp where it collided with Naruto's side. "Leave him alone."

"Does he really need you to come to his defense?" Naruto wheezed out around a strangled laugh.

"No", Neji replied. "But he's more polite about it than I would be."

Naruto, opening his mouth to make a snarky reply, was interrupted by Iruka. "Children", he said calmly. "If you stop with your bickering we'll stop by the next stream and clean up." He looked over at Kakashi. "Right?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Sure. I can't really say I'm fond of this hairstyle at all."

"But it shows your beautiful face", Iruka retorted, suppressing a smile at Kakashi's withering glance.

"Leave my face alone."

* * *

><p>It took them another day to reach the mansion; they arrived a little bit before dusk, the sky darkening in the east as they came to a stop at the crest of a hill. They remained hidden at the tree line, well out of sight as they took in the view of the imposing building on the other side of yet another ravine.<p>

When Kakashi has said mansion, Naruto had pictured himself a slightly bigger than average house, maybe with some barns and outhouses scattered around it. He had never expected…

"That is a castle", he said slowly.

The Copy-nin shrugged. "Mansion, castle, it's all the same."

"No…" Naruto said again. "A mansion is a sorry excuse for a really big house with too many rooms. A castle is", he gestured at the building in question, "a big, hulking mass of stone, towers, a portcullis and oh, would you look at that! A fucking wall fifty feet high to top it off!"

"Fifty-five", Iruka supplied helpfully from Kakashi's other side.

"And around two hundred guards", Neji went on.

"Heavily armed", Shikamaru chipped in tonelessly.

Naruto breathed deeply and closed his eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to reach up and pinch the bridge of his nose. "That's just… freaking great." He knew he sounded pissed. Probably because he was a little pissed, actually.

Kakashi was as unruffled as usual when he said, "Stop whining. We've done all the recon necessary for infiltration. The only thing you have to focus on is to find Yuzuha and kill him." He glanced at Naruto out of the corned of his eye. "That's going to be the hardest part, actually. Killing him, I mean." He sounded a little apologetic.

"Yeah. I got that. Thanks", Naruto responded dryly. He turned his eyes back to watch the sun slowly setting behind the castle. It was perched on a cliff, just at the edge of a stomach-churning- several-hundred-of-feet-drop. A river roared down below, the water crashing through the steep, narrow chasm, debouching a few miles downstream into a cascading waterfall.

"The only way in, is by crossing that bridge", Naruto observed after a while, breaking the silence.

"Nope", Shikamaru answered him. "We're going in…" He leaned forward a little, directing Naruto's gaze down the valley with a lazily pointed finger. "there."

Naruto had to squint, but he eventually made out what seemed to be a small opening just above the trashing water line. He sighed. "Great. That's just… great."

* * *

><p>"All right, listen up." Naruto looked up when Kakashi called, hands stilling on the kunai and the whetstone he'd used to sharpen it with. Iruka turned around from where he was packing his pouches with explosive tags and rolls of chakra tread from his backpack. Neji and Shika was going over the small parts of blueprints they'd been able to map out, with the help of Neji's eyes and Shikamaru's talent for figuring out the general outline of places just going by the outside.<p>

They gathered around Kakashi, eyes somber and mouths set in flat lines. "I want to go over this one, last time before we head out. Neji?"

Neji dipped his head in a nod and motioned for the other to couch down, spreading the small map on the ground. "When we scouted, I discovered that this cave", he stabbed a finger at the point of entry, "ends in an old sewer system that's still intact under the castle. We'll go in and go out… " his finger slid over a vague, serpent like shape, clearly a tunnel, "over here." The tunnel ended at what they'd mapped out as a courtyard, near the north wall.

"From there out it gets tricky", Shikamaru took over. "From what I've managed to deduce, the lower levels of the castle are mainly storage and supply areas; the guards' lives on the second story, while the third houses common areas and a dining hall. I've kept an eye on the fourth and I think I've made a fairly accurate assumption, when I say that it's there you'll find Yuzuha. He sees himself as something like nobility, he rarely mixes with the cannon fodder in his army, sending most orders though his second in command. Or that's what's most likely, from what I've gathered." He shrugged and then looked up at Naruto, eyes the same as usual, save from the sharp glint in his brown irises.

"We couldn't map out any of the upper levels, only the lower ones, so once you're past the third story, you're on your own."

Naruto nodded. "How are we gonna get through all of the guards?"

"You leave that to me." Iruka grinned sharply. "When you go into the cave, I'll sneak up to the portcullis and set up some explosives. Yuzuha, thankfully, is a little arrogant and most likely believe no one would be stupid enough to come knocking on his front door; there's only two guards watching on the wall above it. When Kakashi gives me green light, I'll detonate the tags. I'll draw the guards out on the bridge, where I'll have a shadow clone waiting for them."

"I want you to head to the cave the second you set them off", Kakashi interjected. "You'll collect our gear and then wait for us in the tunnel, in case we need backup. Raven and Wolverine, I want you up on the walls, take out all the guards manning it and hold them until Yellow and I return." He turned his gaze to Naruto. "You and I will sweep the fourth floor in a grid pattern; we pass no room, nook or cranny until we find the mark, understood?" At Naruto's nod, Kakashi carried on. "I'll draw the guards when we find him, and then I'll look for the information we need; your one and only job is to eliminate the mark."

Naruto had to swallow around the huge lump in his throat before he could respond. "Yes sir."

"We will exit the same way we came in. If that's not possible, we take a dive, down into the river and let it take us to lower ground." Kakashi took out another map, the one he and Iruka had made of the surrounding territory, and stabbed at a marked spot on it, several miles downstream from their position. "This is our rendezvous point, if we get separated." Letting them memorize the location, Kakashi then gently folded the map and put it back in the pouch at the small of his back. "If you can't reach the rendezvous in time, you'll go undercover and we'll meet up and the second point, where we first made camp when we left Konoha. You keep your radios on, you keep me updated. Yuzuha knows we're coming, from the moment Dolphin detonate those tags, he'll be ready and waiting for us."

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi straightened and reached up and slid his mask in place, the Wolf standing tall and fierce before them. "Keep your cool, do your job and don't get killed." He was silent for a moment, then, "The paperwork will be hell when I get home, if you do."

The tension leaked out of them with a collective groan and eye rolls.

* * *

><p>Naruto could readily admit that climbing down a mostly vertical cliff wall, in the dark, without getting seen or heard by a lot of angry, trigger-happy men and women, easily ranked among the top five scary things he'd ever done in his life. Neji was the first one to go down the ravine, letting his superior eyesight guide his hands and feet. Naruto was second, followed by Shikamaru and Kakashi.<p>

The deafening roar from the turbulent river and the wind howling in his ear drowned out the frantic beating of his heart, reminding him all too well of what would happen if he were to slip and fall into the churning water without being prepared.

A weak moon guided them towards the cave mouth, the stone under their hands slippery and mossy, the pale light creating shadows that could lure an unsuspecting hand to reach for a grip that wasn't even there. It was tricky, going slow and it felt like several years had passed before Neji disappeared into the gaping hole, too close to the river for comfort. Naruto allowed himself a small breath of relief when he touched ground again, moving quickly towards Neji, who'd taken a small flare from his leg pouch and lit it with a hissing snap.

Shikamaru and Kakashi joined them at last and they set their gear to the side, where it would be collected by Iruka, if all went well. Kakashi took the lead as they began the journey to the surface. Naruto tried to not let it get to him; the way the cave's walls seemed to press in around him, against him, how the colossal mass of stone above his head felt as if it was closing in on him.

"Take a deep breath", Shikamaru mumbled behind him, a fleeting touch of his hand gently nudging the bare skin on Naruto's shoulder. "It's just your imagination."

"…thanks", Naruto mumbled, when he'd grounded himself.

He didn't need to see Shikamaru to know he was shrugging. "No need. I'm not too fond of places like this myself."

It almost felt like a relief when they reached the grate covering the hole that would grant them access to the sewers. The smell was rank and horrible, but it was roomier, at least. They all took subtle breaths of fresh air when they finally reached the opening leading to the courtyard. They could hear voices in the distance, the sounds of shuffling feet and shifting bodies.

"We're in position", Kakashi breathed into his mic when they lined up behind him, underneath the grate.

_"Roger"_, Iruka responded, after a brief moment of static. _"I'm moving in."_

Silence fell. Naruto counted each heartbeat, his pulse speeding up, heart hammering a fast staccato in his ears. The massive explosion almost sent them reeling, moments later, as the force from the blast rocked the ground, pebbles and dust showering them.

Kakashi moved first, strong hands enforced with chakra wrenching the lattice away and he was up, quickly followed by Naruto, Shikamaru and Neji. They took shelter in the shadows cast by the wall directly above, Kakashi nodding once to Neji and Shikamaru. They slunk away, unseen by the panicked guards shouting and running towards the smoldering remains of the portcullis.

Naruto had no time at all to get distracted by the sight; he set his eyes on Kakashi's broad back and shoulders, following him through the unmanned door, into the castle. The lower floors were empty, all of the guards drawn out by Iruka's spectacular use of exploding tags. They had to pass through the dining hall to get to the stair that would take them to the fourth floor; upturned chairs, knocked down cups and plates and bowls strewn all over the rough, unpolished stone floors.

They snuck up the steps, Naruto's heart was attempting to beat itself out of his chest the closer they got to the door at the top. Kakashi waited for a long while before he opened the thick, wooden door; it opened on well-oiled hinges without a sound. They came out in a long, gloomy corridor, lined by doors on each side before taking a sharp left turn at the far end.

"Remember", Kakashi whispered "no room, nook or cranny goes unnoticed. We check every, single millimeter of this place."

"Roger", Naruto replied, a little choked.

They took a side each, doors slowly opening to reveal empty rooms; mostly bedrooms and storage rooms. Kakashi found the office first, and was almost overcome by the three guards lying in wait for him. He pulled his head back just in time to avoid losing it.

"Go!" he ordered, a slight hiss echoing through the hallway when he unsheathed the katana strapped to his back. "Find the mark!"

Naruto didn't even think before his feet started to run; he was careening down the corridor and away from the sounds of Kakashi fighting the people guarding Yuzuha's office. He readied his hands with kunai, one in each, as he turned the corner, not even thinking before launching the first when a shape blurred into his peripheral vision, to his left.

The choked gurgle slowed him in his tracks; the sight before him stopping his heart as effectively as his feet. Big, brown eyes, wide from shock and fear stared at him out of a small, pale face; the once white nightgown stained with ever growing stains of red.

She couldn't have been older than ten, fine boned and delicate. Her bare feet looked white against the dark floor, the razor sharp kunai sticking out of her throat a sharp contrast against the blood running down her entire front and her graying skin.

Naruto didn't even think before he was at her side, catching her when she started to sink to the floor. His hands turned slick from the blood, as he reached up to try and staunch the bleeding. She didn't utter a single sound; her soulful eyes just kept staring at his blank mask, the spark in them growing dimmer and dimmer until it was gone, and she stilled in his arms.

It was like being under water. Every sound came as from a distance, every move felt sluggish and heavy. He was dimly aware that he was supposed to do something; he had a task, an objective to complete. But he couldn't remember what it was. He had forgotten everything, save for the girl in his arms, dead eyes boring into his, burrowing into his very soul, leaving a mark upon his spirit, painting it sanguine.

A sound behind him had him throwing the other kunai, still gripped spasmodic in his right hand. Panther and Monkey's training proved true; he didn't even have to think before acting to a threat. Not even when that threat was a mother, crying for her dead child.

Naruto swallowed the bile gathering in his throat, not even staying to watch the woman die. He staggered to his feet and set his right foot before his left; leaving a part of himself on that floor with the mother and the child. His mind worked on autopilot, searching the remaining rooms; the only thought in his head set on finding his mark and eliminate it.

He followed the hallway when it took a sharp, right turn, a last door towering before him. He wasn't even trying to be sneaky when he reached out and pushed it open, the large room dark and filled with shadows when he stepped inside.

"So Konoha has finally decided I was a threat?" The voice came from the wing-back chair in front of the fire place at the far end of the room. The light cast distorted shapes over the walls, shifting and writhing across the dark stones.

"Yes." Naruto's voice was dazed, and he could diffusely recall the symptoms of shock.

"Ah. And my wife and child?" Yuzuha didn't sound all that concerned.

"Dead."

"Hm. Pity. She was a fine woman. The girl would have been a worthy heir, given time." Yuzuha moved, getting to his feet. He kept his back to Naruto; the plump body calm and free of tension. He glanced over his shoulder at Naruto, beady eyes peering at him.

"Come then, get it over with."

Naruto drew a new kunai, the sharp metal glimmering in the firelight. "Are you just going to stand there?"

Yuzuha shrugged, his massive body moving with it. "I don't really see the point of trying to get away. You will catch me, sooner or later. I might as well stand still and make your job easier. Besides", he turned to face Naruto, a small smile curving his mouth "whether you kill me or not, I'm already a dead man for selling my weapons to him."

Naruto's hands were shaking; he could barely hold the kunai. For the first time since he'd picked one up, at the age of five, its shape and weight felt wrong in his hand.

_"Yellow",_ Kakashi whispered in his ear. _"Have you found the mark?"_

"I…" Naruto swallowed.

_"Come in, Yellow. Have you completed your objective?"_ Kakashi's voice was like ice; cold and harsh and wrong.

"Do it, boy", Yuzuha said, cool as a cucumber. "Before I decide to kill you instead."

_"Yellow, respond!"_

Naruto slowly approached Yuzuha, his gaze never breaking the hold the smaller man's eyes seemed to have on his.

_"Goddammit Naruto! Respond!"_

"Forgive me", he whispered hoarsely, when he stopped before Yuzuha. The other man snorted.

"Forgiveness isn't granted our kind, boy. We only deserve hell."

Naruto bowed his head in agreement. "I know." He thrust the kunai into Yuzuha's chest, deep into his heart. Yuzuha grunted; his body sagging against Naruto's, pressed close and intimate in his last moments of life.

_"Fuck, Naruto! If you've gotten yourself killed I'll bring you back to life just so I can kill you myself!"_ Kakashi all but shouted into Naruto's ear. Naruto didn't really hear him. He gently lowered Yuzuha to the floor, softly closing his eyes before he reached up and pressed the mic around his throat.

"Mission completed, the mark has been dispatched."

_"Any casualties?"_ Kakashi asked after a moment. Naruto closed his eyes, the brown eyes of a little girl, the pale face of an inconsolable mother burned onto his retinas. "Yes."

_"Fuck",_ Kakashi said, low and angry. _"Fuck, okay just… pull yourself together; we need to meet up with the others at the sewer entrance."_

"Roger. I'll be right there."

Naruto took a last look at Yuzuha, peaceful and still in his death, and got to his feet. He left his kunai where they were. He couldn't bear the thought to collect them. He paused just outside the door and had to wrench his mask off of his face, when he couldn't hold back any longer. He threw up, long and violently, raising a shaking hand to wipe his chin when he was done.

_"Raven and Wolverine in position"_, Shikamaru drawled in his ear, sudden and jarring. Naruto straightened, coming back to himself a little.

"Incoming, two minutes until we reach you", Kakashi answered from behind Naruto. His presence washed over Naruto, like a calming balm slowly covering him, and he could breathe a little lighter. He could feel Kakashi coming closer, a warm hand closing over his shoulder.

"It could've happened to anyone", he said at last; he'd clearly passed by where Naruto had…

"Yes sir." Naruto didn't really know what to say. He didn't have any words, any excuses to give.

"Naruto…" Kakashi tugged on him, gently urging him to turn around. He slid his mask to the side, and took Naruto's face in his hands. Both of his eyes were open, staring intensely into Naruto's. "It happens. It's happened to me, Iruka, Neji, Shikamaru… all of us."

"I killed two innocent people. A fucking kid", Naruto whispered hoarsely. He couldn't help it, when his eyes started to water, tears spilling down his cheeks without his permission. Kakashi was silent for a moment, before he replied.

"I've killed thirty-four kids during my years in Konoha's service. I remember them all, their faces, how they looked when they died."

Naruto's stomach twisted at Kakashi's words, and he reached up and gripped Kakashi's arms, forgetting about his claws and nicking Kakashi's skin. The Copy-nin didn't care about the small scrapes, his attention focused on Naruto. "How do you do it? How can you sleep at night? How can I ever…" Bowing his head, Naruto tried his best to suppress the worst of his sobs.

"We fucking learn", Kakashi's harsh words cut through the fog around him, making Naruto jerk back and stare at him in wide eyed confusion. "We learn how to deal with it, how to move on and do our job. You'll have to deal with nightmares, with the need to find the deepest hole you can, crawl into it and never see the sun again. You'll have days where you never want to leave your bed, when you feel like the kindest thing you can do to yourself is to slit your own throat. But you will learn how to deal with it. Because your friends, your family, your village demands that from you. You do it for them, to keep all of it safe."

Kakashi kissed him then, hard and fast, before leaning back and staring deep into Naruto's guilty eyes. "You will talk to someone; we have people for things like this. You will think about it, and realize after hours and hours of agonizing, that it could not have happened any other way. You are a trained killer, your instincts have been honed and fine-tuned ever since you first stepped into the Academy. _You will learn how to deal with this._"

Kakashi released him and took a step back, putting his mask back over his face. "Now man the hell up and get moving, we're not done here until we're all back in Konoha. You're allowed to break down when you get your ass home."

Naruto watched his retreating back, until Kakashi stopped at the turn further down, glancing back at him over his shoulder. The snarling Wolf mask looked as fierce and grim as its wearer.

"Yes sir."

* * *

><p>The trip back to Konoha was uneventful. They'd taken the route by the river to avoid the Goodan village; the people there would most likely have heard all the ruckus up at the castle. When they arrived back at Konoha, at the end of the day, Naruto was almost ready to collapse from exhaustion.<p>

Kakashi stopped them just outside the gate. "You all go on home and get some rest. I'll give Tiger our report." His eyes searched out Naruto, and pinned him to the spot with just the force from his gaze. "Dismissed." Iruka clapped a gentle hand on Naruto's shoulder, a sad sound slipping past his lips before he walked inside the village. He received equal treatment from Shikamaru and Neji, their touch lingering a tad too long on his arm.

When they were alone, Kakashi stepped closer, hands coming up to cup the back of his neck. He leaned his masked forehead against Naruto's.

"I'm sorry", he breathed, low and heavy. "I didn't want to be so harsh. I wanted... I never wanted this for you." Naruto closed his eyes, his body sagging against the older man's.

"I…" he didn't really know what to say, how to say what he felt.

"I know." And Naruto understood, without a doubt, that Kakashi did know. He understood what Naruto was feeling, had – was – there himself. So Naruto asked the only thing he could:

"Will it ever get easier?"

Kakashi exhaled, slow and measured. His clawed fingers caressed the soft skin at Naruto's nape, reverently and lovingly. "No", he murmured, at length. "No it does not. But… it helps to think about why we're doing it."

Naruto nodded, feeling drunk and wrung out and just so fucking tired. "Okay."

"Get some rest, I'll come by tomorrow."

"Okay."

They went their separate ways, Kakashi going to the HQ and Naruto making his way home. The surreal feeling he'd been carrying ever since he'd killed three other humans, intensified when he got inside of his apartment. It was strange. When he'd left, he'd been another person, more innocent than he'd ever realized. Now that he'd returned, changed down to the core of him, he was… numb. And bone-deep tired. He undressed, letting his gear drop wherever it wanted on his way to the bedroom. He avoided looking himself in the mirror when he got into the bathroom, the shower calling out his name.

He went through the motions mechanically. He washed, dried off, brushed his teeth and found some soft sweatpants and a loose fitting t-shirt, and crawled into bed. Settled under the covers, Naruto took a deep breath, held it for a long time, and exhaled. Tomorrow he would go and find a person to talk to. Right now, his only wish was to sleep and hope for a night without dreams.

tbc...

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So, the first mission. That happened. Comments on that, anyone?


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